Eggless Julekake - Norwegian Christmas Bread

This month's Baking Eggless Challenge was suggested by Priya Srinivasan of Enveetu Kitchen. As this year would be only breads at Baking Eggless, Priya suggested this Norwegian Christmas Bread which is loaded with raisins and candied citron. If you are not familiar with citron, it is nothing but naarthangai which we use to make pickles in Tamil Nadu. But I have never seen citron sold in shops. So I used candied orange instead. This is a dense, flavourful bread made with an enriched dough. It has eggs, butter and sugar. 

I substituted the egg with milk vinegar mixture and the loaf turned out amazing. The crust was hard but the crumb was softer and while it was baking in the oven my house was filled with a nice aroma of orange and raisins. Wait until the loaf cools completely before slicing it up. Enjoy with butter or cheese spread. Linking this to Yeastspotting.

Recipe Source: Outside Oslo

Makes one round loaf

Ingredients:

Milk-1/3 cup

Sugar-1/4 cup

Butter-1/8 cup

Salt-1 tsp

Warm Water-1/4 cup

Instant Yeast-2- 3/4 tsp

Milk-1/4 cup

Apple Cider Vinegar-1 tbs

Flour-2 1/2 cups

Ground Cardamom-1 tsp

Raisins-3/4 cup

Candied Citron-1/4 cup (I used Candied Orange)

Procedure:

1. In a sauce pan mix together butter, milk, sugar and salt.

2. Heat on low flame until butter melts.

3. Set aside and let it come to luke warm temperature.

4. Mix together milk and vinegar in a bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle.

5. In a bowl, mix together warm water and yeast.

6. Add the luke warm milk mixture and milk vinegar mixture.

7. Add half a cup of flour and beat until combined.

8. Add in another 1/2 cup of lflour, cardamom powder and beat until combined.

9. Add raisins and orange peel.

10. Mix well.

11. Add another cup of flour and mix to incorporate.

12. If the dough is still soft, then add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and knead until incorporated.

13. Take the dough on the counter, cover with a towel and let it sit for 10 minutes.

14. Now knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

15. Place it in a oiled bowl and rotate the dough so that it is completely coated with oil.

16. Cover and allow it to double. This process takes nearly 2 hours.

17. Now knead it again for two minutes.

18. Grease a baking tray. Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it on the tray.

19. Cover and set it aside for 1 1/2 hours.

20. Preheat oven to 175C. Aplly milk on the loaf with a pastry brush.

21. Bake the loaf for 20 minutes.

22. Cover it with foil and bake for another 20 minutes.

23. Remove from oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack.

24. Slice it up and enjoy!!

Mix milk and vinegar.

Melt together butter, milk, sugar and salt.

Mix together warm water and yeast.

Add in the milk butter mixture and vinegar milk mixture.

Add flour and cardamom powder and beat.

Add some more flour and beat.

Add raisins and candied orange.

mix flour and knead.

Knead until you get a soft dough.

Knead for 10 minutes.

Cover and let it rise for 2 hours.

Knead it again, shape into a loaf and place it on a greased tray.

Allow it to double in size.

Once cool transfer to a serving plate.

Slice it up..

Enjoy!!!