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Plaits

Submitted By: Petronella Chebbi - Sweden

International

Very easy to make, but it is a bit time-consuming, just like bread.

SERVES : [ 4 ] People

150 grammes butter
5 deciliters whole milk
1 deciliter sugar
0,5 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cardamom seeds (I prefer to bash whole seeds with my pestle and mortar)
50 grammes yeast or the equivalent in dried yeast
1 egg
14-15 deciliters plain flour
1 lightly beaten egg for brushing, anything else you might like to put on top.

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add milk, ground cardamom, sugar, salt and an egg. Be careful not to heat above 37 degrees for fresh yeast, 45 for dried, o you will a: kill the yeast, b: scramble the egg! Crumble fresh yeast into a bowl and pour liquid into the bowl, or mix dried yeast with a little flour and pour the liquid over that. Add most of the flour and knead until you have a smooth dough that doesn't cling to the bowl. Cover and leave to prove for about 45 minutes. Divide the dough into four pieces, then divide each piece into three pieces. Roll each little piece until it's an even thickness and about the length of a baking tray. For best results, form the plait on the tray. Lay the three strings next to each other and start from the middle, making half a plait at a time if you see what I mean. Tuck in the ends. Cover and leave to prove for 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Brush the plaits with the lightly beaten egg and decorate if you wish. Place in bottom half of the oven for 15-20 minutes. Leave the plaits on a rack to cool.

Reviewed on 20-8-2011 by Cami

Heck of a job there, it asoblutely helps me out.