Swedish Cardamom Braid

I've adapted this recipe from Celia Ozereko's recipe in Vegetarian Times for N-Knead Swedish Cardamom Braid. Bread making is a skill that requires the basic preparation of the most essential ingredients, the yeast, as well as a few hours to allow for the rising of the dough.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Milk
1 Cup chopped almonds
2 Tbs ground flax seed
1/2 Cup honey
1/2 Cup canola oil
1 Tbs active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp whole cardamom seeds, coarsely ground with mortar and pestle
5 1/4 cup white or whole wheat bread flour (you may use a mix of both flours) Whole wheat flour takes a little longer to rise than white flour)
2 Tbs sugar crystals, for sprinkling

Preparation before beginning the mixing:

1. Add the Almonds to the Milk and heat in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the yeast to one cup warm water. Mix in the honey, stir together. Let the yeast sit for 5-10 minutes until it begins to bubble and foam.

*It is essential that the water be luke warm. the yeast will not rise in cold water and will be killed in hot water. The yeast feed on the honey enabling them to release the CO2 that contributes to the reaction.


3. Stir together almond milk, flaxseed, oil, salt and cardamom in a large bowl. Add the yeast and water mixture. Begin adding the flour 1 cup at a time until the dough forms. The dough should be elastic not sticky. If it is sticky, add more flour until it all binds together in the shape of a ball. (If using a electric mixer, switch to a dough hook and knead the dough for 5 minutes. If not knead by hand on a hard surface).


4. Cover the dough with plastic and drape a towel over the top. Let it stand for a few hours, or overnight until it rises to the top of the bowl.


5. Flatten down the dough and divide it in half. Reserve the other half for the second loaf. Take one half and divide it into 3 equal pieces, and gently roll each piece into 18-inch-long rope on a floured surface.


6. Place dough ropes side by side spaced 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Pinch the ends together on one side, and tuck under. Loosely braid dough ropes, then pinch tail ends together.

7. Cover the braided loaf loosely with wax paper and allow to rise for a few hours.



8. Once the dough has risen a second time,you are ready to begin the baking process. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tip of the loaf with almond milk, and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown.