Sweet Cardamom Braided Bread with Honey Orange Butter Recipe
Sweet Cardamom Bread is a fragrant, braided bread enriched with honey, aromatic cardamom, and a tender crumb. Paired with a luscious honey orange butter, it makes a perfect breakfast or snack treat. This recipe uses traditional yeast fermentation and braided shaping for a beautiful presentation and delightful texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves (braided breads) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Scandinavian
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Cardamom Bread
- ½ cup warm water
- pinch sugar
- 2 tsp traditional active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 3 eggs, divided
- 5 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp salt
Honey Orange Butter
- 2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup)
- 3 tbsp honey
- zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Heat the water to between 105°F and 115°F. Add the sugar and yeast, stir briefly, and set aside for about 5 minutes until the yeast becomes bubbly and risen, indicating it’s activated.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm milk and honey, stirring until the honey dissolves. Add melted butter, 2 beaten eggs, and the activated yeast mixture, and mix together.
- Add Dry Ingredients & Start Dough: Add the flour, ground cardamom, and salt to the mixer. Mix with the dough hook until the dough starts to come together, scraping down the sides as needed. If too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it forms a workable dough.
- Knead Dough: Continue mixing on low speed for about 5 minutes until the dough is soft and stretchy. Remove dough from mixer and gently knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and cohesive.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, rub a little oil on top to prevent drying, cover with cling film or a tea towel, and set in a warm place to rise for 1 to 1½ hours until doubled in size.
- Deflate & Divide: Punch down the risen dough to deflate it. Transfer to a floured surface, divide in half, and set one half aside.
- Shape Braids: Divide half the dough into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thick rope about 1 inch in diameter with tapered ends. Pinch three ropes together at one tapered end, tuck under, and braid. Pinch and tuck the other ends once braided. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Second Rise: Cover braids with tea towels and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat & Prepare Egg Wash: Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat remaining egg with a splash of water to create an egg wash. Brush over braids to give a shiny golden crust.
- Bake Bread: Bake the braids for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden brown. Halfway through, brush the white parts of the braid again with egg wash to encourage even browning. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool Bread: Transfer bread to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.
- Make Honey Orange Butter: In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, honey, and orange zest. Whip with a beater for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Serve immediately or refrigerate and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Ensure water temperature is between 105°F and 115°F for proper yeast activation.
- Adding flour gradually prevents the dough from becoming too dry and tough.
- Cover dough during rising to maintain moisture and warmth.
- Use a stand mixer with a dough hook for easier kneading or knead by hand if preferred.
- Egg wash helps achieve a beautiful glossy crust; don’t skip it.
- Let bread cool completely for best slicing results, preventing gummy texture.
- Honey orange butter can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving.
Keywords: Sweet cardamom bread, braided bread, honey orange butter, yeast bread, Scandinavian bread, homemade bread
