Posted on 12/21/2021 12:35:36 PM PST by mylife
Most people are familiar with Swedish cinnamon buns or the Danish “danish” (they’re called weinerbrød in Denmark). But unless you’ve been to Finland, you’ve probably never heard of pullapitko.
Pullapitko, or pulla bread, is a cardamom-spiced sweet loaf that can be found from the north to the south of Finland. It’s like if a buttery brioche and a challah had a love-child; it’s mixed with loads of milk and butter (courtesy of a brioche father) and woven like challah (thanks, Mom!). For the record, there does not seem to be a relationship between the three breads but isn’t this the kind of cross-cultural culinary romance that the world desperately needs?! We think so.
Let’s go through the history of pulla bread and how to make it!
WHAT IS FINNISH PULLA BREAD? Before we dive into the specifics, it’s important to cover the nomenclature first. Pulla is actually an umbrella term in Finnish. It directly translates to “bun” and refers to any yeast-leavened bread made with wheat flour and sugar. There are different kinds of pullia – the plural of pulla – like voisilmäpulla, also known as the “butter eyed bun,” pikkupulla and laskiaispulla, the Finnish cream filled Shrovetide treat. But, the queen of them all is pullapitko (also formerly known as “nisu”) – a braided bread that’s become the everyday companion to a Finn’s cup of joe.
Unlike other Scandi sweets, pullapitko isn’t flavored with cinnamon or vanilla. Instead, it’s kneaded with a “secret” aromatic ingredient (more on that next). Prior to going in the oven, the loaf is brushed generously with an egg wash – or sometimes, strong coffee – and is topped with almond slivers and crunchy pearlized sugar.
There’s one ingredient that makes Finnish pulla bread something special: lots and lots of cardamom.
(Excerpt) Read more at scandinaviastandard.com ...
This would be soo good with coffee!!
Hey. You pulla my leg?
Can it really be Finnish without fermented fish guts in it?
No Danish weinerbrød for me thanks.
weinerbrød? like pigs in a blanket?
You pulla my leg, I breaka you face!................
Yes
RE: Hey, you pulla my leg?
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Just finnish with the jokes and bake some of that bread. Sounds good.
True factoid: For a challah, the bread is not “challah” but the dough had “an olive’s worth of dough taken from it as challah.” This is about the amount of making a circle with thumb and forefinger (1.5 inches or 2 inches). Such breads are identified as “challah has been taken.”
Round loaves (not shown in photo) are to symbolize the crown worn by the Sabbath, for the entrance of the Sabbath Queen.
It sure sounds good.
It sure sounds good.
I think so :)
Fyrsteterte (Almond Tart) Yield: 1- 9” tart
Pastry –
Cream together (food processor works well):
2/3 cup chilled butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg yolk (save white for filling)
2 Tablespoons whipping cream
½ teaspoon almond extract
Add in, just until blended:
1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 t. cardamon
2 cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Divide dough into two pieces. Flatten each on a piece of waxed paper, or plastic wrap to a ¾ inch thick round. Wrap and chill one to two hours, until firm. Do not chill overnite as it gets too dry
Filling:
9 ounces toasted almonds
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 egg whites
3 to 4 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon almond extract
Extra whipping cream (2 tablespoons?)
In food processor grind toasted almonds (if using whole almonds they don’t need to be skinned). Add in the powdered sugar, egg white, almond extract and enough warm water to be of thick but spreadable consistency.
Roll out, on floured surface, one piece of chilled pastry dough to 1/8” thick and 10” circle. Place in 9” tart pan with removable bottom (spray bottom with non-stick spray). Spoon filling over pastry and carefully spread (it will be thick). Fold half inch edge of pastry over filling.
Roll out the other piece of dough to 1/8” thickness. Cut into ½” wide strips. (If desired, place these strips in freezer for a few minutes for easier handling.) Place strips over filling in cris cross pattern. It dough tears or breaks just press together to patch. Lastly, place a strip, or pieces of strips, around the edge to cover other strip ends. Lightly brush with whipping cream.
Bake in middle of 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 40-45 minutes. Cool before removing from pan.
Sounds good, I had a Swedish girlfriend, can tell some stories about sauna.
Sauna=good. The viking friend loved cardamon, would sprinkle it in his coffee as well as anything else. Sadly he passed away this past spring. Family, or perhaps Norwegian tradition, asked that close friends bring something to place on top of the casket once it was in the ground. I placed some cardamon pods there for his journey.
Yer a good friend.
Cardamom comes from Cambodia--a long way from Finland.
I made 6 loaves of potato bread and 3 focaccia yesterday.. and here I am thinking, how about some more now.
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