Celebrating Christmas Breads, from Swedish Julbrød to Finnish Pulla

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After our first Thanksgiving in Minnesota, so far from our New Jersey family and friends, I must admit I felt very little holiday merriment.

Those long, gray afternoons stretched out into long, cold nights. My kitchen window looked over crusty patches of snow. One evening I turned my attention to the wooden bread trencher my grandmother had given me, now filled with unopened mail.

“Get the flour from the pantry, the yeast and the salt,” I could hear her soft voice beneath the sweeping tick of our kitchen clock.

“Set out the measuring cups, tie back your hair, and for pity’s sake, wash those hands with the brown soap over the sink.”

Who can argue with a Scottish Grandma?

As I mixed and kneaded bread dough in our Minnesota house, I drifted back to my grandmother’s kitchen.

When I was a child, I would stand on a stepstool to reach her Formica countertop. I’d help roll out a thin slab of Christmas bread with her heavy walnut rolling pin. We’d cut it into small circles with a juice glass to make “elf rolls” that we baked to a golden brown and slathered with sticky white icing.

That night, as flour dusted my counter, table and chairs, I made my first loaf of Christmas bread in our new kitchen and thus laid claim to our home. This tradition, carried forth from my grandmother’s kitchen, continues today in the home of our first son, now married, and in our home, where the three boys were raised. It links me to generations past, and my hopes for the future.

Nothing wafts into the soul better than the scent of this bread baking mingled with the smell of a fresh-cut pine tree. Add an olfactory pinch of cinnamon and cardamom, and it just says, “Welcome home.”

The scent of Christmas spices, bread baking, and fresh-cut pine define my holiday memories. Generations ago, the rich dough itself – lush with butter, eggs, dried fruit, sugar – relayed a cook’s generosity, her willingness to share the most precious ingredients in her pantry. The time and effort it took to make and bake the Christmas loaves expressed the cook’s devotion and love.

Our northern region is rich with the traditions of holiday breads. Early immigrant Swedish farmers once set aside the last sheaf of grain from every harvest. Believing that all the life-generating force lay hidden in this sheaf, they milled the grain into flour for sakaka, a rich braided loaf much like the Christmas breads we enjoy today.

The unadorned Sakaka had a place of honor on the table throughout the holiday season, and was then stashed away until spring. The day before planting, the hard, dry loaf was broken into pieces, soaked in homemade beer and fed to the farm animals to provide strength, vigor and well-being. Crumbs were mixed with seed corn and wheat kernels and planted with visions of soon-to-be burgeoning crops.

Traditional holiday breads from the Nordic and East European traditions differ primarily in their shapes, seasonings and fillings – the almond and cardamom of a Swedish Julbrød, the candied fruit, raisins and, of course, cardamom of Norwegian Julekake, the butter, cream and cardamom-laden Finnish Pulla, the almond-orange-nutmeg tang of Austrian Vanocka and the candied fruit, almonds and citrus that accents Czech Houska.

While their doughs are quite similar, enriched with butter, eggs and milk, various combinations of cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon spice the loaves.

Braided and shaped into wreaths, these breads make beautiful edible centerpieces. Set them out for a festive brunch; insert candles for an evening supper. Shaped into rolls or tied into knots, they’re terrific in a breadbasket, too.

The idea of baking bread during the ultra-busy holidays may seem daunting, but I guarantee kneading dough is a stress-reliever after shopping and planning.

Plus, I’ve learned that bread dough is far more flexible and forgiving than I’d once believed. You don’t need to remain an all-day slave to the kitchen to get a Christmas loaf. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator to rise slowly until you’re ready to bake. This actually allows time for the gluten proteins to develop, so that the bread rises more evenly to have a good, firm texture.

For the holidays, I’ve rediscovered another of my grandmother’s recipes – fruitcake. As a child, it was the one sweet I ignored. For the young me, it was too dense and rich, loaded with dried fruit and boozy tasting.

All grown up, I now swap out the gooey cherries for crystalized ginger and up the brandy. It’s great with strong coffee, even better with an aged port.

By adding this region’s delicious Christmas breads into my new traditions, while baking those of favorite childhood memories, I’ve found my way home.

Breads & Bakers

If you love the idea of baking holiday breads but don’t have the time or energy, there are several great Lake Superior bakers that do. See below for a few bread types and local bakeries.

BREADS

  • Julekake: Traditional Norwegian bread loaded with raisins, sometimes with candied fruit or with almonds, and seasoned with cardamom. It’s often braided or shaped into a wreath.
  • Pulla: A rich Finnish bread with cream and butter, this cardamom-scented loaf is braided and dotted with blanched almonds.
  • Stollen: Studded with almonds, candied citron and plump raisins and scented with lemon peel, this rich German loaf is folded in half and often drizzled with a light, sweet glaze or powdered sugar.

BAKERS

  • Café Coco, Washburn, WI: Owner and intrepid pastry chef and baker Noreen Ovadia Wills draws from her Norwegian roots for her Julekake. You’ll also find authentic German Stollen (left photo), Finnish Pulla (right photo), and a delicious, rich, brandy-soaked traditional British fruitcake – the recipe was shared by a loyal customer.
  • Ashland Baking Company, Ashland, WI: Owner and bread baker Curtis Gauthier creates a classic German Stollen and Finnish Pulla.
  • Positively 3rd Street Bakery, Duluth: Along with the old-world rye, you’ll find an innovative interpretation of the classic Christmas breads, inspired by the Nordic countries’ traditional loaves, but not pegged to just one. This rich, braided bread, made with organic wheat, is fragrant with lots of cardamom.
  • Amazing Grace Bakery, Duluth: Best known for its sandwiches and sweets, Amazing Grace offers a rotating menu of home-baked breads dictated by the bakers’ whims. They’ll be baking Scandinavian-inspired breads through the holidays.

Classic Fruitcake

Makes 16 mini loaves (3-3/4 x 2-1/2 inches) or 2 regular loaves.

Fear not the old Fruitcake. This moist, dark version soaked in brandy is fabulous, especially when topped with “hard sauce.” It’s chock full of crystallized ginger, dried cherries, apricots and dates. Make it around Thanksgiving, and it will be ready for Christmas gifts. The longer it keeps, the richer and more flavorful it becomes.

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 c. dried cranberries
  • 1-1/2 c. golden raisins
  • 1 c. dried apricots, diced
  • 1-1/2 c. dates, chopped
  • 1 c. dried bing cherries
  • 1/2 c. crystallized ginger, diced
  • 1 c. brandy (or cranberry juice)
  • 1 c. unsalted butter
  • 2 c. dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • Generous pinch ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. sorghum or dark corn syrup
  • 1/2 c. brandy (or cranberry juice)
  • 2 c. chopped toasted pecans

Instructions:

In a non-reactive bowl (not aluminum or copper), stir together the dried fruit and ginger with the brandy, cover and marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 300° F.

Lightly grease the loaf pans. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the salt, spices and baking powder. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.

Gently beat in the flour and the sorghum until combined. Stir in the additional brandy and the marinated fruit along with the nuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling them about three-quarters full.

Bake the cakes on the middle shelf, 65 to 70 minutes for mini loaves or 80 to 90 minutes for larger loaves. They’re done when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven, brush with additional brandy. When they’ve cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 8 weeks.

Classic Hard Sauce

Serve this on slices of the fruitcake or gingerbread. It will keep about a month in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 c. confectioners sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 c. heavy cream (more if needed)
  • 1/4 c. brandy
  • Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Instructions:

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth and creamy. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator to sit out about 1 hour before serving.

Scandinavian Julbrød

Makes 1 large braided loaf.

This recipe that Lucia Watson, my co-author, created for Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland is now a tradition in our family.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pkg. (or 2 scant Tbsp.) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 c. water, warmed to 105° F to 115° F
  • 3/4 c. whole milk, warmed to 105° F to 115° F
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter, melted
  • 3 medium eggs, beaten
  • 2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 2 tsp. almond extract
  • 6 to 7 c. unbleached flour, plus some to flour kneading space
  • For greasing, use vegetable oil
  • Icing (optional)
  • 1 c. confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. whole milk
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 2 Tbsp. sliced almonds for topping

Instructions:

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk and sugar, and let stand 5 minutes or until the surface becomes foamy.

Stir in salt, butter, eggs, cardamom, almond extract and 3 cups of the flour. Beat until very smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 5 to 8 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it to coat the entire surface. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise until double in volume, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and divide it into thirds. Using the palms of your hands, roll each of the thirds into ropes about 20 inches long.

Braid the ropes together and lift the braid onto a lightly greased baking sheet to form a wreath, pinching the ends together to seal them.

Let rise in a warm place about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Bake the braid in the preheated oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool. Make the icing by mixing together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle the icing on the cool braid and sprinkle with the almonds.

Beth Dooley is author of six cookbooks and a recent collection of essays, In Winter’s Kitchen: Growing Roots and Breaking Bread in the Northern Heartland.