NORDIC
BRAIDED BREAD
This braided bread is soft and golden woven into a beautiful plaited shape.
Light and fluffy inside with a slightly crisp crust. It’s flavoured with traditional Swedish bread spices (a mix of fennel, aniseed and caraway) and finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for extra crunch.
Both eye-catching and delicious, it’s perfect for sharing at the table and brings a touch of
Nordic tradition and elegance to any meal.
1. MAKE THE PRE-DOUGH
Pour bag g into a saucepan along with 300ml of milk and 200ml of water. Heat it over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens into a smooth, lump-free paste, this usually takes a few minutes and happens fairly quickly once it starts to thicken, so don't step away. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely before moving on.
Tip: Don't rush the cooling, if the pre-dough is hot when it meets the yeast in Step 2, you risk killing the yeast (it dies at temps over 49c) and your dough won't rise properly. Spreading it out in a wide bowl cools it faster than leaving it in the saucepan.
2. MAKE THE MAIN DOUGH
Pour bag a into a large bowl and pour 200ml of milk over it. Add the cooled pre-dough, bag i, bag h, and 100g of room-temperature butter. Knead for 5 minutes until everything comes together into a soft, sticky dough. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Tip: This dough is meant to be sticky, resist the urge to add extra flour. Keep a small bowl of water nearby and dip your fingers in it while kneading; it stops the dough sticking to your hands far better than flour does, and won't dry out the dough.
3. SHAPE THE LOAVES
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and knead each into a smooth ball. Set two balls aside. Roll one ball into a long, even 65cm snake, then do the same with the second. Lay them in a cross, one horizontal, one on top vertical. Take the two horizontal ends and cross them over to the opposite side, then take the two vertical ends and cross them over to the other side. Repeat this pattern, alternating sides, until you run out of length, tucking the small end pieces neatly underneath the braid. Place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper, then repeat the whole process with the two remaining balls to shape your second loaf.
Tip: Try to roll each snake to an even thickness along its whole length, not just the middle — tapered ends make for a lopsided braid once it proofs and bakes.
4. PROOF THE LOAVES
Cover both loaves with a kitchen towel and let them proof for 40 minutes, or until they've almost doubled in size. While they proof, preheat your oven to 200°C.
Tip: Do the poke test — gently press a finger into the dough. If the indent springs back slowly and only partially, it's ready. If it springs back instantly, give it a little more time.
5. EGG WASH AND BAKE
Brush both loaves generously with the egg wash (egg + water + pinch of salt), making sure to get into the crevices of the braid. Sprinkle generously with the sesame seeds from bag j. Bake for 25 minutes, or until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 87°C.4
Tip: If the loaves are browning too fast before they've hit 87°C inside, loosely tent them with foil for the last 5–10 minutes so the crust doesn't burn while the center finishes baking.
6. COOL AND STORE
Let the baked loaves cool completely on a wire rack. Let the bread cool completely before slicing, ideally for at least an hour. This allows the crust to stay crisp and the inside to finish setting.
Your Braided bread bread will keep well for 2–3 days at room temperature, stored in a bread bag or airtight container. For longer storage, slice and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Enjoy your freshly baked bread!