Finnish Pulla Bread Recipe ft. Lavazza

If there's two things I love, it's bread and coffee. So working with Lavazza and trying out recipes with coffee and bread is my idea of a perfect day. Today's post is a little different as Lavazza is celebrating their 120th anniversary and I've found a gorgeous recipe for a traditional Finnish bread called Pulla which is the perfect accompaniment to a good cup of coffee and I have also made a sweet coffee flavoured icing spread to go with it.

I haven't made a braided loaf before but it turned out SO well and family, neighbours and friends have all loved it! It is a traditional cardamom bread and I have adapted it from this recipe. I was a little clueless  at first but all the hours of watching The Great British Bake Off paid off *I knew it would obvs* and I'm definitely going to make this recipe again and again so here it is:

Ingredients:

*ps. if you are going to try this then be prepared as it takes about four hours and it makes one monster loaf*

• 2/3 cups of warm milk
• 1/3 cup of caster sugar
• 5/6 cardamom pods 
• 2 small eggs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter or soft spread/margarine 
• 3 1/2 cups of plain flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon of table salt
• 7g packet of dry active yeast 
• 1 egg yolk 
• 1 tablespoon of single cream

Step One: Using a mortar and pestle, crush the cardamon pods and remove the seeds, then grind the seeds to a relatively fine powder. Combine the warm milk, cardamon (not the pods, just the seeds!), yeast and caster sugar. Stir then leave in a warm place until the mixture is foamy - I placed the large mixing bowl in a larger bowl of warm water to speed up the process and to make the yeast very active (don't make the mixture too hot otherwise it might kill the yeast). Leave to foam up for about 15 minutes but it might take longer depending on the yeast and the temperate. 

Step Two: Add the eggs to the mixture and stir well. Then add in the plain flour and salt; mix until a dough forms. The dough will be quite wet and sticky but that is how it should be. Knead the dough on a well floured surface for about three/four minutes and add a small amount of extra flour to help you knead the dough. 

Step Three: While kneading, add in the butter into the dough in small amounts *ps. it doughs the dough feel and sound gross!*. I used soft spread which is a type of margarine and it worked really well. Knead until combined (about four minutes) and add to a lightly greased bowl covered with clingfilm for an hour in a warm place.

Step Four: After one hour the dough should be double in size or more; punch down the dough lightly and leave for another 30 minutes in a warm place - the dough should be even larger.

Step Five: Heat the oven to approx. 180 celcius for fan. Remove the dough from the bowl carefully and transfer to a floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll out each into a rope approx. 16 inches long. Transfer the dough to a lined or greased baking sheet. You can google how to braided a load of bread, I just did what I thought was right and it turned out well...I think!

Step Six: Cover the braided dough with a tea towel and leave for a further 20 minutes until it has risen slightly (mine turned out like a monster loaf). Combine the one egg yolk and a tablespoon of single cream and brush all over the top of the dough then bake for approx. 25 minutes. Leave to cool for 15/20 minutes before cutting.

Step Seven: This is optional but I also made a coffee icing/spread using icing sugar and Lavazza ground coffee - I don't have quantities as it is always a trail and error process making icing.

The bread turned out so well and everyone has loved it which is fantastic so I'll definitely make it again. I love the cardamon flavour, it makes this sweet loaf taste so unusual *but in a very good way*. I've been having a couple of warmed slices with butter and my Lavazza coffee every morning and they are perfect today. The coffee icing also tastes so good with this loaf!

I used the *Lavazza 120th Anniversary Ground Coffee for this recipe and it is gorgeous, as expected and I love the special anniverary designs on the tins. The white tin design is definitely my favourite and when they are empty, I will be re-using!

Check out the Lavazza site for more coffee recipes! 

Have you tried this recipe? Do you love Lavazza coffee? What are your favourite coffee recipes?