Julekake – Bake from Scratch

This conventional Norwegian Christmas bread combines tender, enriched dough with the candy scent of cardamom and cinnamon after which will get bejeweled with dried and candied
fruits and drizzled with a easy Sugar Glaze. Julekake packs a fruitcake-like style with out all the effort, making it a scrumptious addition to breakfast, brunch, and even a day cup of espresso or sizzling cocoa.

Julekake

3½ to 3¾ cups (438 to 468 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1 (0.25-ounce) package deal (7 grams) immediate yeast*
2 teaspoons (6 grams) kosher salt
1¼ teaspoons (2.5 grams) floor cardamom
½ teaspoon (1 gram) floor cinnamon
⅔ cup (160 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (15 grams) entire milk, divided
6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (80 grams) water
2 giant eggs (100 grams), room temperature and divided
¼ cup (55 grams) roughly chopped candied orange peel
¼ cup (48 grams) assorted raisins, roughly chopped
¼ cup (40 grams) dried sweetened cranberries, roughly chopped
Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)

Within the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk collectively 1 cup (125 grams) fl our, sugar, yeast, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon by hand till mixed.
In a medium saucepan, mix ⅔ cup (160 grams) milk, butter, and ⅓ cup (80 grams) water; cook dinner over medium-low warmth, stirring sometimes, till butter is melted and an instant-read thermometer registers 120°F (49°C) to 130°F (54°C). Add heat milk combination to fl our combination; utilizing the paddle attachment, beat at medium-low pace till mixed, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add 1 egg (50 grams); beat at medium low pace till mixed, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. With mixer on low pace, progressively add 2½ cups (313 grams) flour, beating till mixed.
Swap to the dough hook attachment. With mixer on low pace, beat till a smooth, barely sticky, and elastic dough kinds, 8 to 12 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl and dough hook; add as much as remaining ¼ cup (31 grams) fl our, 1 tablespoon (8 grams) at a time, if dough is simply too sticky. (Dough should keep on with sides and backside of bowl however ought to go the windowpane check; see Word.) With mixer on low pace, progressively add orange peel, raisins, and cranberries, beating simply till mixed. (If you don’t really feel the mix-ins are effectively distributed by the mixer, you should utilize your arms to fold and squeeze the dough to assist distribute the mix-ins extra evenly.)
Spray a big bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease prime. Cowl and let rise in a heat, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) till doubled in dimension, 35 to 50 minutes.
Punch down dough; cowl and let stand for 10 minutes. On a really evenly floured floor, divide dough into 3 parts (about 340 grams every). Form every portion right into a ball, and gently roll between your arms to create a roughly oval form; cowl and let stand for quarter-hour. Place 1 portion seam aspect up. Flatten portion into a few 9×5-inch oval, ensuring to press out and pop any air bubbles. Ranging from one lengthy aspect, fold dough, about ½ inch at a time, urgent to seal after every fold. Repeat till you will have a decent cylinder. Roll cylinder right into a 12-inch rope. Repeat with remaining parts. Braid ropes, pinching ends collectively and tucking below barely to safe.
Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Place braided dough in ready pan; gently press braid into an excellent layer in pan. Cowl and let rise in a heat, draft free place (75°F/24°C) till doubled in dimension, 35 to 40 minutes. (It’s OK if dough is puffed above rim of pan.)
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a small bowl, whisk collectively remaining 1 egg (50 grams) and remaining 1 tablespoon (15 grams) milk. Brush prime of dough with egg wash. (If any bigger bubbles seem on dough’s floor, gently pierce and deflate earlier than egg washing.)
Bake for 12 minutes; loosely cowl with foil, and rotate pan. Bake till golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in middle registers 190°F (88°C), to 38 minutes extra. Take away from pan, and let cool fully on a wire rack.
Drizzle cooled loaf with Sugar Glaze. Retailer in a bread field or a considerably hermetic container at room temperature for two to three days.

*We used Platinum® Yeastfrom Red Star®.

Word: To make use of the windowpane check to examine dough for correct gluten improvement, evenly flour arms and pinch off (don’t tear) a small piece of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the middle. If the dough is prepared, it is possible for you to to stretch it till it’s skinny and translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not fairly prepared. Beat for 1 minute, and check once more.

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Sugar Glaze