Julekake

By á-338

Norwegian Christmas Bread

Ingredients

• 1 qt. milk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tsp. cardamom
• 2 pkts yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• fruits to taste
• orange zest
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 12 cups flour
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

Heat milk and sugar. Add better and cardamom. When butter has melted, cook mixture to lukewarm. Add and dissolve yeast. Add salt, fruits, zest, and beaten eggs. Work well together and add enough flour to make a firm but elastic dough. Cover dough and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Knead well and form into loaves. Place on greased pans and let rise until double. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Brush loaves with egg, vanilla and sugar mixture when bread is removed from the oven. Or you can spread a thin icing made with 1 tbsp. cream, 1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract and enough confectioners sugar for consistency.

Fruits: candied pineapple (cut in half), dried apricots (cut smallish), dried cherries, fresh orange zest.

Makes 3 or 4 loaves.