Swedish Cardamom Ring
A good friend of JCC Manhattan who grew up in Sweden brought this recipe to our attention, variations of which are found in every Swedish household. It’s the kind of bread that verges on breakfast pastry or dessert with its sweet and festive flavors. Swedish pearl sugar consists of hard, irregularly shaped grains that can withstand high baking temperatures and adds a pleasing crunchy texture to many baked goods. Don’t be put off by the length of this recipe; the beautiful presentation and taste are well worth it. NOTE: This bread freezes well.
MAKES TWO 14-INCH RINGS
1 package dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
18 tablespoons (2¼ sticks) unsalted butter, 8 of the tablespoons at room temperature
2 cups 2% milk at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 extra-large egg, beaten
1 cup Swedish pearl sugar (optional)
1 cup slivered almonds (optional)
Place the yeast into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, melt the 10 tablespoons of cold butter. Add the milk and remove from the heat. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm (about 105ºF), add to the bowl with the yeast.
In another small bowl, combine the sugar, cardamom, and salt. Add half the sugar mixture to the yeast mixture (reserve the rest). Mix until smooth.
Add the flour, ½ cup at a time, to the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will be lumpy at first but will become smooth as the flour is incorporated.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth, light, and pliable. (You can also knead it in the bowl.) Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp kitchen towel, and allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place, about 45 minutes.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Halve the dough with a knife. Roll the first half into a 24 x 15 x ⅛-inch rectangle. Spread half of the softened, room-temperature butter in a thin layer over the rectangle with a blunt knife, being careful not to tear the dough. Sprinkle half the remaining sugar-spice mixture over the dough (keep the rest for the second ring).
Starting from one long side, roll the dough tightly, ending with the seam side down. Join the two ends together to form a ring and pinch the ends tightly to close securely. Transfer the ring to the baking sheet. With a sharp paring knife, make cuts every 2 inches from the outside of the ring near to, but not through, the inside. Make sure to leave ½ inch of the inside of the ring intact. Give each section a quarter twist, always twisting in the same direction; the cut surface will now be uppermost. With your hands, nudge the dough slightly inward to tighten up the ring.
Repeat with the remaining dough and sugar mixture for the second ring.
VARIATION
To make 24 small buns, follow the recipe through rolling up the dough into a log, but don’t join its ends to make a ring. Instead, cut the roll into 1½-inch sections. Place each section in a muffin liner, cut-side-up. Place on a baking sheet (you do not need to bake them in a muffin tin) and brush each one with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with either the pearl sugar or almonds or both, if using. Bake in a 400°F oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer the buns to a rack to cool.
Morning Glory Muffins with Oat Flax Topping
These are an extra healthy version of the classic morning glory muffin. We’re always trying to introduce whole-wheat or white whole-wheat flour into traditional recipes to make them more healthful and have found that a combination of flours makes for the best texture and flavor. We love the additional health benefits we get from the seeds and the whole wheat. The muffins can be frozen individually; take them out as needed and defrost on the counter.
MAKES 22 TO 24 REGULAR MUFFINS
Topping
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup uncooked rolled oats
2 teaspoons flax seeds
1 teaspoon sugar
1 heaping tablespoon solid coconut oil
Batter
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups grated carrots (from about 6 large carrots)
½ cup raisins or dried cherries, cranberries, or diced apricots, or a combination
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored, and grated
2 teaspoons chia seeds
3 extra-large eggs
1 cup grapeseed oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce
To make the topping, combine the pecans, oats, flax seeds, and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the coconut oil, blend thoroughly, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
To make the batter, in a very large bowl sift together the flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the carrots, dried fruit, pecans, coconut, apple, and chia seeds. Mix until thoroughly combined.
In a separate medium bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, and vanilla, then stir in the applesauce. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until the batter is just combined. Spoon about ¼ cup of the batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle with the topping. Bake until the muffins are springy to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.