Pulla

Finnish cardamom sweet bread braided with pearl sugar

Origin: Finland

From the journey of Cardamom.

Pulla is Finland's national sweet bread: and cardamom is its soul. The Finnish word for cardamom, kardemumma, appears in recipes stretching back centuries, and pulla without it is simply not pulla. A braided loaf with a tender, enriched crumb and a pearlescent crust scattered with coarse sugar, it is eaten at every Finnish coffee table, from everyday kahvipöytä to formal celebrations. Finland's relationship with cardamom mirrors Sweden's and Norway's: the spice arrived via the Viking and later Hanseatic trade routes connecting the Baltic to the Arab world, and became woven into Northern European baking culture so thoroughly that Scandinavians and Finns today import far more cardamom per head than any other region outside the Gulf. Pulla is baked as a braided loaf, as individual korvapuusti buns (Finland's version of the cinnamon roll), or as a ring at Easter. In all forms, the cardamom is the constant.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 300 ml whole milk, warm (37°C)
  • 7 g fast-action dried yeast
  • 80 g caster sugar
  • 550 g plain flour (or strong white bread flour)
  • 15 green cardamom pods, seeds finely ground
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 75 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 eggs, large

To Finish

  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 tbsp pearl sugar (or crushed sugar cubes)
  • 2 tbsp flaked almonds (optional)

Method

  1. Combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes until slightly foamy. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour, ground cardamom, and salt. Mix to a rough dough, then work in the softened butter a little at a time.
  2. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. It should be considerably softer than a bread dough: this makes the finished loaf tender.
  3. Cover and prove in a warm place for 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
  4. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope approximately 50–60cm. Pinch the three ropes together at one end and braid loosely, then pinch the other end to seal. Transfer to a lined baking tray and tuck the ends neatly underneath.
  5. Cover loosely and prove for a further 45–60 minutes until noticeably puffy and the braid has spread and risen.
  6. Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Brush the braided loaf gently all over with beaten egg. Scatter generously with pearl sugar and flaked almonds if using.
  7. Bake for 22–25 minutes until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. If the surface darkens too quickly, tent with foil after 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before tearing apart.

Notes

For individual korvapuusti buns: roll the dough into a rectangle, brush with butter mixed with sugar and extra cardamom, roll up tightly, slice into thick rounds, press each round down firmly with your thumb, and bake for 15 minutes. The same dough makes excellent cinnamon rolls (korvapuusti) if you prefer cinnamon in the filling. Pulla freezes well: freeze cooled slices or buns and reheat at 160°C for 8 minutes.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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