Recipe for Cardamom Bread (Split from What's My Craving? board)

[vvvindaloo]

[Split from http://www.chowhound.com/topics/457343]

I did think about where to suggest you look for cardamom bread in NY... but I just couldn't come up with any good bets... so, in case you might decide to bake it yourself, here's my recipe. I was once a little almost-Swedish girl, myself!

¾ cup milk
¼ cup butter
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1½ - 2 teaspoons cardamom (depending on how strong you prefer)
crystallized sugar for sprinking

1. Heat up milk and butter together until warmed through
2. Add to the rest of the ingredients to make a dough
3. Divide dough into 3 rolled strips, cover them with cloth or a dishtowel, and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes
4. Place the dough on a greased (PAM is fine) baking sheet, braid it, and top with sugar coating (some people would also apply an egg wash, but I don't with this bread)
5. Allow the bread to rise for 40-50 minutes, covered, in a slightly warm place, or put in under plastic wrap
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes
7. Place on cooling rack when removed from oven

No store-bought bread will match this warm, homemade one- I promise!