Julekaka, Norwegian Christmas Bread

Ingredients

Dough

• 500g (4 cups) Bread flour 100%
• 250g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) Whole milk, lukewarm 50%
• 50g (1 large egg) Large egg, room temperature 10%
• 75g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) Granulated sugar 15%
• 85g (6 tbsp) Unsalted butter, softened 17%
• 10g (2 tsp) Fine sea salt 2%
• 9g (2 3/4 tsp) Instant yeast 1.8%
• 4g (1 1/2 tsp ground) Cardamom seeds, freshly ground (from about 20 green pods) 0.8%

Fruit

• 150g (1 cup) Raisins 30%
• 100g (2/3 cup) Candied citrus peel, diced 20%

Finish

• 50g (1 large egg) Large egg, beaten with 1 tsp water (egg wash)
• 25g (2 tbsp) Pearl sugar (optional)

Equipment

Method

Grind the Cardamom

Here's the one place I'll be stubborn: grind the cardamom fresh. The flavor lives in the seeds' volatile oils, and those oils start fading within hours of grinding. Pre-ground jar cardamom has been fading on a shelf for months. Fresh-ground is the difference between bread that's vaguely spiced and bread that smells like a Bergen bakery.

1. Crack and grind. Crack about 20 green cardamom pods, pick out the dark seeds, and discard the husks. Grind the seeds fine in a mortar or spice grinder, about a minute. You need 4g, roughly 1 1/2 teaspoons ground. Smell it. That bright, almost eucalyptus punch is what we're baking into the loaf.

Make the Dough

A straightforward enriched dough, softer and friendlier than stollen. It kneads up smooth and rises like it means it. This is the loaf to make if you want a Norwegian Christmas on the table without a project.

1. Mix. Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, and ground cardamom in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm milk and egg, and stir with a dough whisk or sturdy spoon until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.
2. Knead in the butter. Knead on the counter (or in a mixer on medium-low) for 4 minutes, then work in the softened butter a tablespoon at a time. Keep kneading 6 to 8 minutes more until the dough is smooth, supple, and passes a rough windowpane test. It should feel soft and a little tacky, not sticky.
3. Add the fruit. Flatten the dough, scatter on the raisins and candied peel, and fold and knead gently 2 minutes until they're evenly distributed. Some will pop out. Poke them back in.
4. First rise. Round the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes. In a cold December kitchen a folding proofer set to 78F keeps it on schedule.

Shape and Proof

Julekake is traditionally a free-standing round, a proper boule. Good surface tension gives you that domed bakery profile instead of a spread-out disc.

1. Shape the round. Turn the dough out and press out the large gas pockets. Pull the edges to the center, flip it seam-side down, and drag it toward you in short strokes, cupping your hands around it, to build a tight skin. Rotate and repeat until you have a snug, even ball.
2. Final proof. Set the round seam-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover loosely and proof 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled. A floured finger pressed into the side should leave a dent that fills back slowly.

Shape the Round

One classic shape. Tension is the whole trick.

Free-Standing Boule (recommended)

The traditional julekake round, baked right on the sheet pan.

1. Degas and gather. Press the dough flat, then pull the edges into the middle like closing a drawstring bag.
2. Build tension. Flip seam-side down and drag the ball toward you with cupped hands, rotating a quarter turn each stroke, until the surface is tight and smooth. If fruit tears the skin, pinch it closed and keep going.

Round Cake Pan

If your rounds tend to spread, a buttered 9-inch cake pan holds the shape and gives tall, tidy slices.

1. Shape and pan. Shape the boule as above, then set it seam-side down in a buttered 9-inch round cake pan. Proof and bake the same way, adding about 5 minutes to the bake.

Proof test: Press a floured finger into the side. A dent that springs back slowly means bake now; a fast bounce means give it 15 more minutes.

Bake

A moderate oven bakes the enriched crumb through without scorching the fruit at the surface.

Oven: 175°C / 350°F. Internal temperature when done: 88°C / 190°F.

Sheet Pan (Recommended) (recommended)

Free-standing round on parchment.

Equipment: Sheet pan,Pastry brush,Instant-read thermometer

1. Egg wash. Brush the proofed round all over with egg wash. Scatter with pearl sugar if you're using it.
2. Bake. Bake at 350F (175C) for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads 190F (88C). If the top is browning fast at 25 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
3. Cool. Move the loaf to a rack and cool at least 1 hour before slicing. Warm julekake smells incredible and slices terribly. Give it the hour.

Note: Norwegians serve julekake sliced, toasted, and buttered, often with a thin shave of gjetost, the caramel-brown goat cheese. Sweet bread, salty butter, caramel cheese. Trust them on this.

Storage

• Room temperature: 3-4 days wrapped or in a bread bag. Day-three slices are made for the toaster.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice before freezing and toast straight from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pre-ground cardamom?

It'll work, but you'll taste the difference. If it's all you have, use 2 teaspoons instead of 1 1/2 and smell it first; if it barely smells like anything, neither will your bread. Whole pods cost about the same and the seeds take five minutes to grind.

My family doesn't like candied peel. Can I leave it out?

Sure. Swap in more raisins, or use dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots, keeping the total fruit around 250g. That said, good candied peel (soft, fragrant, not the dusty tub from the baking aisle) converts a lot of skeptics.

Why is my loaf dense at the bottom?

Usually underproofed, or the dough was too cool during the rises. Enriched doughs like this want a warm 75 to 78F environment and a full, puffy final proof. Use the finger-dent test rather than the clock.

What is gjetost and do I need it?

Gjetost (or brunost) is Norway's caramel-brown whey cheese, sweet and slightly salty. Need it? No, butter alone is wonderful. But a thin shave of gjetost on warm toasted julekake is how this bread is eaten in Norway, and it's worth hunting down once.

Can I make this as a sourdough loaf?

Yes. Swap the instant yeast for 125g of active starter, reduce the milk to 190g, and expect a 4 to 6 hour first rise. If you don't keep a starter yet, the sourdough-starter-from-scratch guide in the Pantry will get you there in a week.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (about 70g)): 220 calories, 39g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 5g fat, 1g fiber, 260mg sodium. Makes 16 servings.