Norwegian Christmas Bread
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Makes 2 loaves
One of my favorite flavors is orange, and dried orange peel brings a unique combination of sweet and bitter to this Christmas bread. Years ago, Panera made a panettone for the holidays that I adored. I remember its soft, pillowy texture and the bits of orange peel so vividly. This bread is far denser than panettone, but the flavors take me back to some of my first Christmases in Missouri after Tim and I were first married. You could just use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but I like the addition of rye because it makes for a heartier bread that can hold up to the flavors and spice. This may be called Christmas bread, but you’ll be craving it all winter long.
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup rye flour3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour2 teaspoons cardamom2 packets of active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)3/4 cup granulated sugar2 cups whole milk, lukewarm2 eggs, room temperature10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature3 teaspoons Diamond kosher salt (reduce to 2 teaspoons for other salts)3/4 cup raisins or cranberries3/4 cup dried orange peelOrange juiceEgg wash (one egg and a tablespoon of water whisked together)Swedish pearl sugar
Instructions:
1) About an hour before you start the dough, add the raisins/cranberries to a small bowl. Cover with orange juice. Let sit. 2) In a large bowl, add the flours and cardamon, mix to combine.3) Heat the milk on the stove to lukewarm. 4) Add the milk to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. 5) Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the yeast to the warm milk. Stir. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom. 6) Once the yeast has become bubbly, add the remaining sugar, flour mixture, and eggs. 7) Mix on low to combine. 8) Add salt. 9) Turn the mixer to medium and knead for 4 minutes. (The dough should be sticky but not loose. If the dough is loose, add additional all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a dough forms. Be careful not to add too much flour to make a dry dough). 10) Add the butter and mix until incorporated. This will look like a bit of a mess at first, but it comes together after a couple minutes. 11) Once the butter has been mixed into the dough, move the dough from the mixer to a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading for 3 to 5 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test—that is when the dough can stretch thin enough to see light through the dough without it tearing.12) Pat the dough flat.13) Drain the raisins/cranberries well. 14) Add the raisins/cranberries and the orange peel to the top of the dough. 15) Fold the fruit into the dough and knead until the fruit is evenly distributed throughout the dough. 16) Butter large bowl. 17) Shape the dough into a ball. 18) Add to the buttered bowl, turning to coat the dough with butter, and cover with a tea towel. 19) Allow to rise until doubled. This could take up to 2 hours.20) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 21) Once the dough has doubled, split it half. I like to use a food scale for this to make sure I’m getting even loaves. 22) Shape each half into a round loaf. Try (easier with some loaves than others) to keep the fruit inside the dough, as it may burn if it is exposed. 23) Place the loaves on the baking sheet. Keep them far enough apart so they don’t touch during the rise or bake. 24) Cut a shallow slit down the middle of each loaf. 25) Cover the loaves with the tea towel and allow to rise until doubled. This could take up to an hour. 26) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 27) Once the loaves have doubled, brush each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle generously with Swedish pearl sugar. Gently press the sugar on to the loaves so that it sticks.28) Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Check that the internal temperature is at least 195 degrees. If the tops are getting too browned before the bread is baked, tent them with foil. 29) When the bread is fully baked, remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
This bread freezes well. I like to cut each loaf in half and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then seal it in a plastic freezer bag to keep it fresh.
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup rye flour3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour2 teaspoons cardamom2 packets of active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)3/4 cup granulated sugar2 cups whole milk, lukewarm2 eggs, room temperature10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature3 teaspoons Diamond kosher salt (reduce to 2 teaspoons for other salts)3/4 cup raisins or cranberries3/4 cup dried orange peelOrange juiceEgg wash (one egg and a tablespoon of water whisked together)Swedish pearl sugar
Instructions:
1) About an hour before you start the dough, add the raisins/cranberries to a small bowl. Cover with orange juice. Let sit. 2) In a large bowl, add the flours and cardamon, mix to combine.3) Heat the milk on the stove to lukewarm. 4) Add the milk to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. 5) Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the yeast to the warm milk. Stir. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom. 6) Once the yeast has become bubbly, add the remaining sugar, flour mixture, and eggs. 7) Mix on low to combine. 8) Add salt. 9) Turn the mixer to medium and knead for 4 minutes. (The dough should be sticky but not loose. If the dough is loose, add additional all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a dough forms. Be careful not to add too much flour to make a dry dough). 10) Add the butter and mix until incorporated. This will look like a bit of a mess at first, but it comes together after a couple minutes. 11) Once the butter has been mixed into the dough, move the dough from the mixer to a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading for 3 to 5 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test—that is when the dough can stretch thin enough to see light through the dough without it tearing.12) Pat the dough flat.13) Drain the raisins/cranberries well. 14) Add the raisins/cranberries and the orange peel to the top of the dough. 15) Fold the fruit into the dough and knead until the fruit is evenly distributed throughout the dough. 16) Butter large bowl. 17) Shape the dough into a ball. 18) Add to the buttered bowl, turning to coat the dough with butter, and cover with a tea towel. 19) Allow to rise until doubled. This could take up to 2 hours.20) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 21) Once the dough has doubled, split it half. I like to use a food scale for this to make sure I’m getting even loaves. 22) Shape each half into a round loaf. Try (easier with some loaves than others) to keep the fruit inside the dough, as it may burn if it is exposed. 23) Place the loaves on the baking sheet. Keep them far enough apart so they don’t touch during the rise or bake. 24) Cut a shallow slit down the middle of each loaf. 25) Cover the loaves with the tea towel and allow to rise until doubled. This could take up to an hour. 26) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 27) Once the loaves have doubled, brush each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle generously with Swedish pearl sugar. Gently press the sugar on to the loaves so that it sticks.28) Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Check that the internal temperature is at least 195 degrees. If the tops are getting too browned before the bread is baked, tent them with foil. 29) When the bread is fully baked, remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
This bread freezes well. I like to cut each loaf in half and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then seal it in a plastic freezer bag to keep it fresh.