GRANDMA'S FINNISH BISCUIT

Grandma's Finnish Biscuit image

Categories Egg Bread

Number Of Ingredients 9

4-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups milk (scalded, cooled)
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cardamom
3 eggs
7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup butter, melted, divided
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Steps:

Dissolve yeast in warm milk in bowl of stand mixer. Add 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, salt, cardamom, and eggs. Beat 1 minute on speed 2. Add 1/4 cup melted butter and 4 cups flour. Change to dough hook and mix well. Gradually add another 1/4 cup melted butter. If too soft, add flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough is workable, but still sticky(Grandma always ended up using a total of 7 cups of flour). Knead with dough hook for 5 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled in size(2-1/2 to 3 hours).
Meanwhile, mix together remaining 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon. Set aside. Butter and flour four loaf pans. Punch down dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. With each piece of dough, roll into 9x12 inch rectangle. Brush dough with melted butter and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll dough into log and pinch seam closed. Place in prepared loaf pan seam side down. Cover and let rise until doubled(2 to 3-1/2 hours).
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until dark golden brown. To serve, slice, toast, and slather with salted butter.
Notes:
Scalded milk is milk that has been brought to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. It needs to be cooled to approx. 105 degrees before adding the yeast. There is debate over whether this step is necessary now that most milk is sold already pasteurized.
This recipe is written for use with a stand mixer, but can also be mixed by hand.
If your bread is doughy or sunken in the middle, it probably spent too much time rising, or was under baked.