Christmas Bread (Jule Kaga)
photo by Chef LauraMD
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Yields:
-
4 loaves
- Serves:
- 40
ingredients
- 10 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon yeast, plus
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons yeast
- 1⁄2 cup warm water
- 3 cups scaled milk
- 3⁄4 cup shortening
- 3⁄4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 -2 tablespoon cardamom
- 1⁄2 cup plumped raisins
- 1⁄2 cup candied cherry
- 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts
directions
- Plump raisins by placing them in a microwavable container adding 1 c water for 3 minutes.
- Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c warm water, set to the side. Mix together shortening, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, cardamom. Add in proofed yeast mixture and slowly add flour and reserve about 1/2 cup. If using Kitchen Aid with dough hook, mix for 5 minutes, if not, knead by hand for 3 minutes. Chop cherries, raisins and nuts mixed with the remaining flour and then work into bread.
- Place in a large greased bowl and let raise for one hour in a warm area. Punch down bread and place into greased bread pans - should make 3 large loaves or 4 medium. Let raise one hour.
- Preheat oven to 325. Cook bread for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
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Reviews
-
Cut the recipe in half but will certainly be making this TASTY BREAD again later nearer the end of the year when candied cherries are available ~ This time around I plumped 1/2 cup of dried cherries as I did the raisins! Also used 2 tablespoons of cardamom! Very good just with an orange flavored butter, too! [Tagged, made & reviewed for one of my adoptees in the current Pick-A-Chef]
Tweaks
-
Family Tradition. (Grandmother's parents from Norway & Denmark) Citron and large raisins are the ONLY 'fruits' permitted in Grandma Bollows Yule Kaga. First loaf out of the oven Never got to cool down - buttered and eaten too quickly. And woe to the neighbor who dated to ask for the recipe after saying she put jelly on it. Mom vowed she would NEVER have it. (A promise I still honor today. Butter is all that is ever needed.)
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Chef LauraMD
Waldorf, Maryland