Pulla

Finnish Cardamom Bread (Pulla)

This delicious recipe was given to me by a dear, departed

friend many years ago.

I have not made it too often, but my visiting daughter

loves this recipe and requested that it be made during her stay.

I thought you might enjoy it, too!

It is perfect with a cup of tea or hot chocolate.

Pulla

1 quart milk

2 sticks (1 cup) butter (real butter!)

1 teaspoon crushed cardamom

(I could not find whole cardamom to crush so I substituted 1 tsp. ground cardamom)

6 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons salt

3 pkgs. dry yeast (I use bulk yeast so...6 1/2 teaspoons?)

1/2 cup warm water

14/15 cups flour

~*~

Heat milk, butter and cardamom to just boiling. Cool to lukewarm.

Mix eggs, sugar & salt in separate bowl; set aside.

Combine yeast and warm water to a smooth paste.

After milk has cooled, add egg mixture.

Add 10 cups of the flour to make a thick batter.

Add yeast and continue to add more flour, mixing well.

Knead on a lightly floured surface about 10 minutes.

Place in a lightly greased bowl (butter or coconut oil).

Turn to grease top of dough.

Cover and let rise till double in bulk in a warm place.

Punch down to rise again.

Turn out on lightly floured board.

Cut into 5 even pieces (recipe makes 5 loaves ~ great for freezing or gift giving.)

From each piece, cut and shape 3 stripes approx. 16" long

by rolling dough between palm and board.

Braid, pinching ends together and tucking under.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Let rise until puffy but not doubled in size.

Brush with beaten egg; sprinkle with sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake 350* 25-30 minutes

Cool on wire rack.

Makes 5 braided loaves.

Chocolate Walnut Fruitcake

This is a very old recipe that I got from my mother~in~law.

She has been making it for years.

While not a big fan of fruitcake, I do enjoy a slice of this one

at this time of year.

Do you like fruitcake?

Mine ~ fresh from the oven

waiting to be sliced tomorrow

at our ladies Christmas Party!

I should have baked it last week

but didn't read thru the recipe.

I'll know next time!

Chocolate Walnut Fruitcake

2 1/4 C. flour

1 1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped walnuts

2 C. diced mixed candied fruit

1 C. raisins

1 C thinly sliced pitted dates

2 eggs

1 C. sour cream

1 t. vanilla

1/4 C. melted butter

Generously grease a 9-inch tube pan

On waxed paper, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together the walnuts, candied fruit, raisins and dates.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Add butter, then flour mixture and blend well. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute or vigorously by hand until well blended. Add walnut/fruit mixture and fold in until well distributed. Turn into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated 300* oven with a shallow pan of hot water on the floor of the oven until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean ~ about 1 3/4 hours.

Cool inn pan, placed on a wire rack for 10 minutes. With a small spatula, loosen edges and around tube.

Turn out on a wire rack and cool completely.

If cake is to be served shortly after baking, it will nave to be cut in thick slices and it will not have the traditional fruitcake texture. To have the cake change so the texture is beautifully moist and it may be cut in thin slices, wrap in transparent plastic wrap then place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for a week or so before using; may be stored this way for weeks and even months.

Before serving, slice cake when it is taken from the refrigerator, and arrange on serving plate, then let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before offering.

Makes a 3 pound fruitcake.

(NOTE: For the mixed candied fruit, we used candied cherries and pineapple and found this a delightful combination!)
~

My mother-in-law bakes hers a couple months before giving.

While it is 'ripening' in the refrigerator,

she lays a wine soaked cloth on the top and refreshes it weekly.

Icebox Butterhorns

The counter was filled with the pre-assembled dishes of

dressing, green bean casserole, and Icebox Butterhorns.

My little Granddaughter wanted to help with the rolls

because she knew how to do them!

(She must be helping Mama alot! She did an

excellent job of rolling up the dough!)

(Please disregard the unfinished cupboard beneath the

oven. Hopefully the doors will be put back on before

Christmas. And maybe even the rest of the cupboards

will get painted!)

They must have been good! This is Miss R's

second roll!

~*~
Icebox Butterhorns

1/4 ounce active dry yeast

2 Tablespoons warm water (110* to 115*)

2 cups warm milk (110* to 115*)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups flour

3/4 cup butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, egg, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Beat in butter and remaining flour (dough will be slightly sticky). Do not knead. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (I made the dough early in the day ~ only refrigerated for 4 1/2 hours. Still turned out!)

Punch dough down and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll each half into a 12-in. circle. Cut each circle into 12 pie-shaped wedges. Beginning at the wide end, roll up each wedge. Place rolls, point side down, 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Brush tops with softened butter.

Yield 2 dozen

(Recipe from an old Country Magazine

Judy Clark

Elkhart, Indiana)

Last Night's Dinner

Heavenly Hash Browns (recipe follows)

turkey patties (from this recipe)

cole slaw

and

Old Fashioned Gingerbread with Warm Lemon Curd

for dessert! (recipe follows)

~Recipes~

Heavenly Hash Browns

Into a 9X13 baking dish add

1 2lb. package of hash brown potatoes, thawed

(I used one with onion and peppers)

Pour 1/3 c. melted butter over spuds

Sprinkle with onion flakes

Over the top add ~

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 C. grated cheese

and

your favorite bread crumbs

Bake at 350* for 1 hour

~*~

Old Fashioned Gingerbread

Ingredients ~

1 3/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Pinch of salt

5 Tbsp butter, softened at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup Grandma's Molasses

3/4 cup cold water

Heat oven to 350*F

Grease an 8x8 pan.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour in the molasses in a slow, steady stream, beating all the while. Add half of the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until well combined. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Slowly pour in the cold water and stir until well incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let cool in the pan about 1 hour before serving. Cut the cake into squares and dust with powdered sugar.

Or

you can do as I did and

top with warmed Lemon Curd.

You can find many recipes for Lemon Curd on the Internet.

I had been gifted a jar from Trader Jo's

so that is what I used.

Enjoy!

(Old Fashioned Gingerbread Recipe from Grandma's Molasses Web site)

'Quick' Applesauce Cookies

Assemble your tools and ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2/3 cup applesauce

2 1/2 cups buttermilk baking mix

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup raisins

~

Heat oven to 350*

Mix butter, sugar and egg
Stir in applesauce

then remaining ingredients.

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown

Remove immediately from cookie sheet.

Cool.

Frost if desired.

(These would be great using farm fresh eggs,

homemade butter,

your own grapes dried for the raisins,

homemade applesauce

and a homemade buttermilk baking mix! They just wouldn't

be as quick! :~P )

Cinnamon Rolls

I have a confession to make!

I gave in to temptation

and made Cinnamon Rolls!

My penance is

extra, extra miles to walk this week!

But I enjoy walking so it was a win/win

situation!

Here's my recipe~

~*~

4 & 1/2 teaspoons yeast

dissolved in

1/2 cup warm (105*-112*)

~*~

Stir together

1/2 cup cooled, scalded milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 farm fresh eggs

~*~

Add

yeast/water mixture

&

2 & 1/2 cups flour

Beat until smooth

~*~

Add

2 - 2 1/2 cups more flour

until dough is workable.

~*~

Knead on lightly floured board until

smooth and elastic ~ about 5 minutes

~*~

Place in a greased bowl, turn dough and cover.

Let rise in warm place ( I use my oven pre-warmed

to lowest setting and then turned off)

until double in size,

about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and shape into a rectangle

approx. 9X15

Spread with butter (I used about 1/4 cup),

your favorite sugar (I used turbinato)

sprinkle with cinnamon (I used lots!)

Raisins are optional (but not at my house! They just

aren't proper cinnamon rolls without raisins!)

Roll up widest side.

Slice into 12-15 slices.

Place in 9X13 greased baking dish

Let rise in warm place 1/2 - 1 hour

or near the top of dish.

Bake 375* for 25 minutes



Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 carton whipped cream cheese
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix with mixer until smooth
and creamy.

YUMM!

:~P

Victorian Applesauce Cake

Because I made applesauce yesterday, I just had to make

this recipe from my Grandma's recipe box!

2 cups sifted flour

1 &1/2 cup sugar

1&1/2 teaspoon soda

1&1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, allspice

1/2 cup shortening (I use coconut oil instead of Crisco or butter)

1&1/2 cup applesauce

2 eggs

3/4 cup raisins

(recipe also calls for 3/4 cup of chopped dates. I didn't have any, and I don't care for them, so I used 3/4 cup dried currants instead.)

3/4 cup chopped nuts (I did not add because there are nuts in the topping. I prefer them there for a nice crunch that sets off the moist, tender cake!)

Sift flour (which has already been sifted once), sugar, soda, salt, cocoa & spices into a mixing bowl. Drop in shortening (or coconut oil). Add 2/3 of the applesauce and beat 150 strokes. (I'm not a Victorian, so I used my mixer! Beat until creamy.)

Scrape bowl often.

Add eggs and beat 250 strokes. (another minute or so)

Add remaining applesauce and beat 50 strokes.

(or until fully Incorporated with your mixer.)

Add dates, raisins and nuts.

Mix thoroughly.

Pour batter into a greased tube pan. (Again, I used coconut oil)

Sprinkle topping over batter.

(Topping = 1/2 cup chopped nuts [I used pecans] and 2 Tablespoons sugar)

Bake 350* for 1 hour to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Test with toothpick after one hour. Keep checking often. Don't over bake!

As with any spice cake, the flavor improves after a day ~

but who can wait!

Not me ~ this piece is still warm!
MMMmmmm! with a cold glass of milk!

;~P