Paasiaisleipa Finnish Easter Bread Recipes

PAASIAISLEIPA ( FINNISH EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• In large bowl combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, orange peel, lemon peel, cardamom and salt.
• Heat milk, water, and butter until very warm (120º to 130ºF).
• Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat at high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough.
• Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top.
• Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• (For Rapid Rise Yeast, cover kneaded dough; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes. Proceed with recipe).
• Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly floured surface.
• Knead in dates and almonds.
• Divide dough in half; shape into 2 balls.
• Place in 2 greased 8-inch round cake pans.
• Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Bake at 350ºF for 35 to 40 minutes, or until done.
• Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.
• Top with confectioners' sugar frosting, if desired.

FINNISH PULLA

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm.
• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, 4 eggs, and enough flour to make a batter (approximately 2 cups). Beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add about 3 cups of the flour and beat well; the dough should be smooth and glossy in appearance. Add the melted butter or margarine, and stir well. Beat again until the dough looks glossy. Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is stiff.
• Turn out of bowl onto a floured surface, cover with an inverted mixing bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough until smooth and satiny. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, and turn the dough to grease the top. Cover with a clean dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down, and let rise again until almost doubled.
• Turn out again on to a floured surface, and divide into 3 parts. Divide each third into 3 again. Roll each piece into a 12 to 16 inch strip. Braid 3 strips into a loaf. You should get 3 large braided loaves. Lift the braids onto greased baking sheets. Let rise for 20 minutes.
• Brush each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally because the bottom burns easily.

GUBANA

Steps:

• For Gubana Dough:.
• In small pan, melt butter with 1/4 C and 3 T milk and 1/2 C and 2 T sugar. Heat to 120 F and set aside to cool.
• In large bowl combine yeast and warm water (105 to 115 F) and let this stand for 5 minutes. Combine yeast/water mixture with warm milk mixture, salt, vanilla, lemon peel, 3 C of the flour. Add the 3 eggs, beating after each addition. Gradually blend in additional 1 3/4 C flour to the mixture.
• Knead dough for about 10 minutes. Turn dough over in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until it doubles, about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.
• Grease two 2-3 quart baking containers - 8" diameter round aluminum pans with 3" sides.
• Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll each piece to an approximately 18" x 12" rectangle. Spread half of the Gubana filling on each rectangle to within about 2" of each side of the dough. Combine 1 egg and 2 tsp water and brush the edges with the egg and water mixture.
• Starting with a long edge, roll up each rectangle, pinching the ends to keep the filling inside. Shape each one into a spiral , much like a snail shell and carefully place it the prepared pan. Cover and let rise until almost doubled - 45 minutes.
• Brush top of spirals with beaten egg white and poke some holes into the tops. Sprinkle with coarse sugar - about 1/4 C each with bread.
• Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 F and bake 25 minutes more until golden. If browning too quickly, reduce time or heat.
• Unmold and cool on rack.
• For Gubana Filling:.
• Toast the nuts in 350 F oven for 10 minutes. Put raisins in large bowl. Put dried fruit and orange peel in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to harden.
• Combine crumbs, cinnamon, cocoa, sugar in small bowl.
• Divide nuts and crumb mixture in half and using food processor, chop nuts and the crumb mixture. Repeat with remaining nuts and crumb mixture. Add to raisins. Mix in jam, beaten egg, and liquor.

POLISH EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended.
• Beat in egg yolks until well blended.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Stir yeast mixture, orange peel, lemon peel, cinnamon and salt into butter mixture.
• Stir in flour alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition, until soft dough forms.
• Stir in raisins.
• Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir down dough; spoon into greased and floured10 x 4-inch tube pan or 12 cup bundt cake pan.
• Cover; let rise until double, about 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degreesF
• Bake until bread is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool 5 minutes.
• Remove from pan; cool completely.
• Sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired.