My Swedish grandmother was a great cook. One thing she always served was vetebröd, which our family calls bulle. Vetebröd is a traditional sweet Swedish yeast bread that has a very unique ingredient – cardamom. Every time I smell this cardamom bread I think of my grandma. This is definitely one of my strongest “memory foods.”
While this isn’t a traditional Christmas food, I only ever get around to making it at Christmastime. Cate LOVES it and calls it the “yummy bread.”
So, on to the recipe! I actually took some step-by-step photos for you. Vetebröd can be baked in many different shapes. The recipe I have calls for simple buns, but braiding the bread is how my mom and I like to bake it. Because I love you all soooo much, I decided to share our family’s special way of braiding the loaf. It’s a great little trick.
Vetebröd
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cakes compressed yeast OR 2 packets active dry yeast OR 4 tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 cups sifted flour
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 20 cardamom pods (or 3 tsp ground cardamom, which is what I use)
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup finely blanched almonds1. Scald milk and cool to luke warm. Crumble yeast in bowl: add 1/2 cup luke warm milk and stir until yeast is dissolved. Add remaining milk and 1/4 c sugar. Beat in 3 C flour and continue beating until smooth. Cover and set aside to rise until double in bulk, 3/4 – 1 hour.
2. Add reamining sugar, cooled melted butter and salt. Break open cardamom pods – remove tiny seeds and crush thoroughly. Add cardamom and 4 1/2 C flour to yeast mixture. Place remaining 1/2 C flour on board or pastry cloth for kneading.
3. Turn out dough and knead until smooth and elastic. (I actually put all 5 cups of flour in step 2 and then let my Kitchen-Aid do the kneading with the dough hook attachment.) Place in greased bowl. Cover with cloth and let rise until double in bulk, 3/4 – 1 hour.
4. Cut into even size pieces and roll into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg and sprinkle with 1/4 c sugar (rock sugar is really yummy) and almonds. Let rise until double in bulk, 30-40 mins. Bake in moderately hot oven (400 degrees F) 12-15 minutes. (If you do the braid that I describe below, cook at 350 degrees for nearly 30 minutes, when the top is as dark as you want it, cover with foil until bread is done cooking.)
How to make the braided loaf: (you can also do pretty buns – see links at the bottom of the post for more info)
Once the dough is ready to cut into pieces in step 4, you can instead roll out the dough to make a braid. This recipe will make two large braided loaves. Divide the dough in half and form into a round, even ball. Smoosh the ball down into a rectangular-type shape (as best you can). Roll out to a large rectangle, rolling the dough pretty thin (maybe 1/4″ or so). The thinner the dough at this stage the better it will cook.
Score two lines lengthwise to divide the rectangle into thirds. These score lines are guides and should not be very deep. Cut lines perpendicular to your score starting at the score line cutting out to the edge (see picture). Make cuts appx. 1 inch apart. The cuts should be made down both sides, should line up and be even in number. (Am I making sense? Thank goodness for pictures!).
Begin your braid at one end. Fold the pieces across to the opposite score line and angled down to the next level of cut pieces. I sort of smoosh the piece down so it stays in place. Once you’ve braided all the pieces, tuck the last two pieces under each other (pictured) so you have a nice finished end. (Please note – I should have rolled my dough thinner than pictured here…although the bread still came out.)
As I alluded to in the recipe above, my braid was a little thick, so the outside was cooked before the inside was done. If I had rolled the rectangle thinner it would have helped, but regardless, the following trick will come in handy. My loaf was plenty dark, but my inside was not cooked enough…about halfway through the total bake time of ~30 minutes, I covered the loaf with foil. This kept the outside from getting to dark and it cooked beautifully.
While baking the bread topped with sugar and almonds is good…vanilla glaze is pretty darn good too. This is my favorite way to eat bulle. I mean, seriously, doesn’t that look AWESOME?
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 tsp light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Milk or half-and-half or light creamMix sugar, syrup and vanilla together. Stir in enough milk/half-and-half/light cream to make drizzling consistency (a little goes a long way!).
I’m not sharing this recipe because it’s an easy one. I’m sharing it because I love it and is special to me. It takes some time, but it is not difficult and so delicious. Eating this soft, yummy bread straight out of the oven is the best. But to replicate the effect the following day, I just zap my bulle in the microwave for 10-15 seconds…mmmmmmmmmm….
This link and this link will will take you to recipes for Swedish cinnamon buns (a little different than this recipe, but I’m sure still tasty). Both of these recipes illustrate how to make the dough into pretty buns. This is a great way to cook vetebröd, my grandma usually made these types of buns.
Enjoy!
Hello! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and then count on you to share your own! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
omg! looks so good. love the photos!
Happy New Year!
Comment by anne marie — December 30, 2009 @ 10:35 pm
i love baking bread, and i love cardamom. sold.
Comment by Lindsay — December 31, 2009 @ 12:09 am
Oh, my. I love cardamom, and I thought I’d had it in just about everything it can go in (and a few it shouldn’t…). But I’ve never had it in bread. This looks wonderful. THANK YOU!
Comment by Kate at Serendipity — December 31, 2009 @ 2:37 am
OMG, that’s fantastic. When I first came across your picture of the dough woven together, I never realized it was so easy with the picture illustrations on this page. Nice work.
Comment by VeggieCook — December 31, 2009 @ 3:58 am
I’m sure farmor is smiling.
Comment by heww — December 31, 2009 @ 8:05 am
Oh,not that looks so delicious. I recently bought some cardamom. When I put it on my spice shelf I wondered to myself what made me purchase it, I can’t think of any recipes I have that call for it. So, now, thanks to your post, I can add “Yummy Bread” to my recipe collection and have a use for that spice.
Comment by Margot — December 31, 2009 @ 8:25 am
woops – gosh I need to get better at proofreading. That “not” up there should read “now.” Good grief, maybe I’m not skilled enough to make that gorgeous braided loaf….
Comment by Margot — December 31, 2009 @ 8:26 am
I love vetebröd! And yours is soooo beautiful. I’m seriously impressed.
Comment by Hillary — December 31, 2009 @ 8:34 am
Wow…this really looks fantastic!! Can you tell me if you use AP flour or bread flour for the recipe? Thank you for sharing!!!
Comment by margaret — December 31, 2009 @ 9:32 am
love all your comments…so happy to share a very good use of cardamom with you all. (and my dad made me tear up…good job, dad)
good question, margaret. I just used good old all-purpose and it came out fine. might be interesting to try with bread flour sometime when I”m feeling bored…but AP works great!
Comment by jane maynard — December 31, 2009 @ 10:18 am
This looks AMAZING!!! And how wonderfully special!!! Thank you for sharing. I LOVE LOVE LOVE cardamom and anything with it in it… is my favorite! I can’t even imagine the scent that fills the air when baking this. I’ll be trying this perhaps this weekend.
Oh – what kind of milk should I use? I think I have a 1 or 2%. Must it be whole milk?
Thank you!!! XOX
Comment by Christina — December 31, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
I think I used 1%…I think you’ll be fine with whatever you’ve got! good luck!
Comment by jane maynard — December 31, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
You make it look so easy. I love cardamom so will have to try this.
Comment by Sarah G — December 31, 2009 @ 4:06 pm
It’s sooooo beautiful. Almost, almost too good to eat!
Comment by Marie {Make and Takes} — December 31, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
Put butter and cinnamon inside the bun and I can almost smell my childhood in Sweden.
Comment by Mary — January 1, 2010 @ 9:30 am
I’m with Cate, yummy indeed, and beautiful to boot!
Comment by Petit Elefant — January 1, 2010 @ 4:27 pm
Wow that’s beautiful! I bet it smells wonderful too.
Curious to know if vetebröd refers to vertebrae in Swedish. It does sorta look like the spine.
Comment by Amy from She Wears Many Hats — January 2, 2010 @ 2:39 pm
Bröd means bread – vete means wheat – all about ingredients not the shape. In fact norlanders braid the dough into a ring as well as making individual buns.
We have a theory why they would have used the word wheat to describe the bread (not whole wheat by the way) – if you are interested let me know….
Comment by MaWa — January 2, 2010 @ 3:07 pm
I’d love to know why all Scandinavians call this “wheat” bread! Finns call it pulla, but the others call it variations of vetebrod: hvetebrod, hvedebrod, hveitibraud.
Comment by maxie — January 2, 2010 @ 8:27 pm
It looks so delicious! I’m making it RIGHT now! Thank you!
Comment by Haley — January 2, 2010 @ 10:31 pm
Looks beautiful – and I love the step-by-step photos!
Happy New Year!!
Comment by Pille — January 3, 2010 @ 4:37 am
I appreciate this great post you did, Jane. My grandparents were from Sweden. My grandmother and I used to bake everytime we were together. I have such warm memories of braiding, or knotting the dough, baking it, and finally eating it! It’s so amazing how childhood memories can warm your heart.
I was of working with yeast (have done it before and got bread that could break a window) but I will give this a try and I’m sure all parts of making this wonderful bread will bring me back to some of the best times in my childhood.
Thank you so much and Happy New Year!
Comment by Linda — January 3, 2010 @ 4:09 pm
I appreciate this great post you did, Jane. My grandparents were from Sweden. My grandmother and I used to bake everytime we were together. I have such warm memories of braiding, or knotting the dough, baking it, and finally eating it! The smell of this bread baking is amazing.
I was afraid of working with yeast (have done it before and got bread that could break a window) but I will give this a try and I’m sure all parts of making this wonderful bread will bring me back to some of the best times in my childhood.
Thank you so much and Happy New Year!
Comment by Linda — January 3, 2010 @ 4:13 pm
This looks great! My Grandparents were Swedish and I have never had this. I am going to make it though. I love learning new things that I can pass on to my children. This Christmas we made our rice pudding, Swedish rye bread, dup i grytan (“dip in the pot”: juice from the meat used to dip the bread in and home made)and Korv Swedish sausage made with potatoes, pork and beef. I would love to add this Bread to our Christmas next year! Thanks so much for sharing.
Comment by Tara — January 4, 2010 @ 2:35 pm
My mom is Swedish, and she used to make a few of the desserts for us. This Christmas she made one again (finally), and while it wasn’t this recipe, it was delicious! It was more of an almond dessert that she hasn’t made in years. I might have to try your recipe – thanks for sharing
Comment by CIndy — January 5, 2010 @ 2:42 pm
I love all the swedes coming out of the woodwork!
Comment by Jane Maynard — January 5, 2010 @ 2:43 pm
Made this the day after I saw your recipe. SIMPLY DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing.
So could I use cinnamon in place of the cardamom? I only bought a small amt of cardamom and I’m out for the week. What do you think?
Comment by Brown sugar — January 6, 2010 @ 5:37 pm
you could definitely use cinnamon…it’s still yummy, just a totally different flavor. but I’m certain it will still be delish! so glad that the recipe worked for you – yea!
Comment by Jane Maynard — January 6, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
I need to make this. My grandma made similar breads (she was born in the former Yugoslavia, so not Swedish here), and I wish daily that I had more time to devote to baking. They stir up such wonderful memories. This one looks divine!
Comment by Shaina — January 9, 2010 @ 7:46 pm
Scrumptious! I totally needed that braiding lesson. Mine always looks like a third grader’s hairdo.
Comment by Christine — January 15, 2010 @ 11:23 pm
Thank you for the recipe with beauuutiful photos of the vetebrad bread. I kept coming back to the photos and finally broke down and made it two weeks ago during the rains. I took a photo of the loaves I baked (I am not a baker) because they turned out so pretty; I was very pleased with myself and owe it all to the photos). The consistency of my bread didn’t look as layered/flakey as yours. Mine was heavy (but delicious) Could I have over mixed in the Kitchen Aid? The people I shared it with asked for the recipe; to me that is the ultimate complement.
Thank you for sharing-yum!
Comment by laura — February 2, 2010 @ 7:51 pm
Hi Laura and Jane. Here are some possible reasons for heavy bread. The first may be that it was under proofed. I’ve found that the time given in a recipe is really only a guideline, and every environment is unique. To tell if your dough is proofed, push your finger into the side of the dough about 1/2 an inch. It should spring back out at least half way. (BTW, you can over proof as well.) And yes, you can over knead dough, but that takes a long while! You should be able to “windowpane” the dough, which is to gently stretch a small piece thin enough to where it’s almost transparent without ripping. Your going for a balance of chew, the elasticity the dough has before breaking, and tenderness. If you can’t stretch the dough out very far without it fighting you, you may have gone to far. A long “rest” in the fridge may “relax” this issue.
Hope that helps…
I love cardamon bread!!!
Comment by faye — February 3, 2010 @ 11:16 am
thank you, faye!
Comment by jane maynard — February 3, 2010 @ 12:36 pm
Thank you, Faye. I will try it again!
Comment by laura — February 8, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
the pictures were so helpful! ty you for the braiding tip. my loaves came out delish!
thanx again
nina
Comment by nina — April 14, 2010 @ 3:56 pm
that’s what I like to hear – glad they came out!
Comment by Jane Maynard — April 14, 2010 @ 4:24 pm
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