A wreath tied up with a bow…how appropriate for the week before Christmas! This week’s Tuesday’s with Dorie recipe was for a Finnish Pulla…a lovely dough flavored with crushed cardamom seeds. The scent of the baked loaf was sublime…definitely aroma therapy at its best. Using my KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook, the bread dough was a snap to prepare. Braiding required a bit more concentration. How is it that I can plait hair with my eyes closed, but 3 strands of dough perplexed me???? Well, finally got through that, snipped off the ends and formed a ring with the braid. Beatrice Ojakangas, the contributing baker, had the brilliant idea of making a bow with the excess dough to cover up the seam. Well, I thought she was pretty darn clever till I tried to make a bow out of dough! I muddled through and it looked darn good going into the oven (save some striations in my strands…but I AM my own worst critic). The dough was glazed with a mixture of egg and milk and then sprinkled with sugar…pearl sugar was suggested, but since I didn’t check my supplies till after I started baking, I just used some demerara sugar…a large grained brown sugar. And the results were a glossy bread with a touch of glittery sugar…exquisite. Sweet, sparkly bread…perfect for the holidays…
Finnish Pulla can be found on page 106 of Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan . This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie is hosted by Erin of The Daily Morsel. You can also visit Erin’s blog to see the complete recipe.
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
Your Christmas wreath looks lovely – and flawless – Liz. Congratulations on another gourmet creation =)
I saw this on your instagram and fell in love with it there and am now falling in love all over again. How beautiful!!!! You did such an amazing job.
I struggled with the braiding too though I can braid my hair with no problem!! Mine was, ahem, a “twisted” loaf rather than braided. But still delicious!
Lovely looking wreath. I am with you on the dough bow…I felt like a bread shaping clutz at that point! Yours turned out great though. Happy Holidays!
Lizzy,
Your bread wreath is amazing, and so perfect. Almost to pretty to eat, almost.
The wreath looks so beautiful and delicious, perfect for Christmas!
I’m truly captivated by the pretty photos
I like your wreath, it´s chubbier and very neat! And I like brioche like striations, I think it speaks of a pillowy bread. I don´t know how I managed to have pearl sugar in my pantry. Have a great day Liz!
Absolutely beautiful, Lizzy!! I am so lame I kept trying to tie the bow…duh!! Only now do I see!! LOL!
Well done on the lovely job. I braided mine and gave up at the bow bit.
It was a perfect bread for this time of year.
Your wreath looks beautiful and i love this little bow added to the top. I’ll have to remember that when I make one. I haven’t seen this recipe in Dorie’s book but will go check it out. Nothing is better than the smell of bread baking in the kitchen along with all the other fragrant dishes during the holidays.
GORGEOUSSSS!! Lizzy you are incredible.
That is very pretty!! Love that you can do such beautiful braiding with dough!
Beautiful loaf! It took me a minute to remember how to braid – and the bow – well, not as pretty as I had imagined. I wear tennis shoes daily! How could I not form the perfect bow? This is a lovely loaf to say the least! ~Happy Holidays!
Your bow looks great (along with your photo)! I just gave up. You have such a nice chubby wreath!.
Oooooh SUCH PRETTY PRETTY bread! This is SO perfect for Christmas time too and I bet it smelled ahmazinggggg!
Lizzy,
this was definitely the best aroma therapy I had in the kitchen
You’ve baked a beautiful wreath and its bow is amazing … (psst, don’t tell anybody, but I’ve totally missed the “bow-thing”…probably I did not read the instructions till the end… Ups!)
Have a wonderful Christmas time
Just gorgeous!
This is a work of art, Liz. A delicious work of art.
It is just stunning. I saw the pre oven pic on facebook which was promising. Great braiding, you got the hang of it
How pretty is that? I love this AND the best part, I HAVE that book! This is a nice bread to wake up to on Christmas Morning, I can just imagine waking up to that wonderful aroma of bread baking (this is a perfect opportunity to figure out my oven timer!) You did a beautiful job, Liz, bow and all. Merry Christmas!
It looks gorgeous! There’s something so special about a braided loaf.
Beautiful Finnish pulla, I love it. I need to make it.
Liz, your wreath looks awesome…absolutely gorgeous and perfect for the Holidays!
Have a great week
Your Finnish Pulla looks wonderful! Lovely braid!
It’s just perfect for Christmas breakfast!
Happy Holidays!
Liz, the pulla is so beautiful and festive. Stunning photography.
Liz, you’re such an amazing baker. This pulla is gorgeous! There’s no way I’d have been able to braid dough into such perfection. Happy holidays!
Liz, you know how I enjoy these Dorie installments, this one being no exception. I have to wonder, if you had simply closed your eyes and pictured three hefty locks of hair in your hands instead of dough, that tentative feeling would have escaped you. Besides, by photographic accounts, you nailed it! Christmas at your table will be special with this Finnish Pulla…may your holiday be merry and bright.
I had a hard time with the braiding as well! It is so different from braiding hair. But your braiding looks perfect! And your pulla turned out wonderfully!
Your pictures are really great too!
What is that? I have never seen such beautiful braided bread. Sometimes I wonder if you have the same oven that we have in our home. Your baked goods are so perfect. I wish I was your neighbor and can at least smell the bread.
Liz, your bread looks divine and your pictures so Christmas-y. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas!
Your Pulla looks wonderful. Will be making it soon. Look forward to it.
Carmen
http://bakingismyzen.wordpress.com
Funny thing I baked Pulla as well. Your wreath looks incredible and that bow brought it to entirely a different level. So true I couldn’t be more articulate “aromatherapy”
Merry Christmas Lizzy!
it looks picture perfect! Beautiful and so delicious! Don’t know how you do it:)
that looks just beautiful! wow…big time now.
I had to also make a braid around the cornucopia for Thanksgiving…my goodness…not as easy as braiding my hair.. yours looks way better.
Look delicious Lizzy!!
This is so beautiful, I love the wreath shape!
This is so pretty!! And I love that first photo!
so so gorgeous, you are such a talented baker!!
Liz, what a picture perfect sweet dessert bread wreath and the bow does look wonderful. The sprinkling of the demera sugar seeems to have been a very good substitution for the pearl sugar – it looks nice and a bit crunchy – a very festive post!
Your bread looks gorgeous! Yes, the braiding was a challenge – I really had to think what I was doing.
Gorgeous, Liz! Love the photos – Merry Christmas to you & yours!
My mom was from Finland but never made this, looks lovely!!
I love your Finnish Pulla, and the bow looks perfect! This bread sounds truly delicious, Hugs, Terra
Very pretty loaf and beautiful pictures!