Pääsiäisleipä (Finnish Easter Bread), adapted from Mr. Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads

Pääsiäisleipä (Finnish Easter Bread), adapted from Mr. Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads

Sponge

Dough

Total

Bread flour

395

381

776

Medium rye flour

205

205

Cream (half & half)

214

214

Water

66

176

242

Milk (20g milk powder + 206g water)

206

206

Egg yolks (3 large egg yolks + a bit of egg white, to make 65g)

65

65

Yeast, osmotolerant

4.0

4.0

Salt

17.0

17.0

Sugar, divided (62g+120g)

182

182

Butter

113

113

Sponge

679

Ground cardamom

5.0

5.0

Grated lemon peel (from 2 large lemons)

5

5

Candied orange peel, finely diced

15

15

Golden raisins

155

155

Chopped almonds

103

103

Total

679

2307

2307

Sponge:

1. Measure cream into small saucepan; scald by heating cream to 180F. Remove pan from heat. Pour cream into a bowl, add water, and cool to 100-105F.

2. Meanwhile, combine flours and osmotolerant yeast in a large bowl.

3. When the liquid has cooled down to 100-105F, add liquid to dry mixture and mix until the dry ingredients are hydrated.

4. Cover bowl, or transfer sponge to a covered container, and ferment at 80-82F, until doubled and just starting to collapse back on itself. This took 3 hours, although I was expecting the sponge to be ready in an hour (trying the 'flying sponge' method).

Final Dough:

1. While sponge is fermenting, prepare ingredients: finely chop candied orange peel, chop almonds, soak raisins in some hot water; set all aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flours, milk powder, salt, cardamom and 62g sugar. Grate lemons directly over the flour mixture, then stir grated lemon peel around so it's evenly distributed in the flour.

3. Measure remaining sugar (120g) into a separate bowl.

4. Separate three large eggs. I added a bit of egg white to the yolks to make 65g (reserve remaining egg white for another use). Add egg yolks to the 120g of sugar, and whisk to combine.

5. Measure butter and soften to 70F.

6. When sponge is ready, place in large bowl and combine with 95F water; I used a dough whisk to do this.

7. Add flour mixture and mix with dough whisk; turn out onto counter and knead to finish hydrating the flour and the dough comes together. Continue kneading and working the dough until the gluten is moderately developed (improved mix).

8. Place the dough back in the bowl, and add in half of the egg/sugar mixture. Work the egg/sugar mixture in by hand, using the 'stretch and fold in the bowl' technique.

9. Turn dough out onto counter and continue kneading and working the dough to keep developing the gluten.

10. When the dough feels stronger, place it back in the bowl, and add the remaining egg/sugar mixture. Work the egg/sugar mixture in by hand, using the 'stretch and fold in the bowl' technique.

11. Turn dough out onto counter and continue kneading and working the dough to keep developing the gluten, until the dough feels strong and windowpanes.

12. Gradually knead in the butter, a bit at a time, waiting until butter is incorporated before adding more.

13. Drain the raisins.

14. Spread the dough out on the counter, and sprinkle over half of the raisins, orange peel and almonds. Fold the dough like a letter, and knead for a bit to distribute the fruit and nuts. Spread the dough out again, sprinkle over the remaining fruit and nuts. Fold the dough like a letter, and knead again, continuing until all of the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed in the dough.

15. Bulk ferment for 2 hours at 80F, with a stretch and fold after one hour. If desired, make a some simple syrup to brush on breads after baking. Set aside to cool.

16. Divide into 200g pieces. Preshape tightly, as boules. Shape and place in greased tin. Cover with plastic, proof at 80F until risen 1" above pan.

17. Preheat oven to 375F.

18. Remove plastic wrap, and place pans in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350F and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until done.

19. Remove from oven, remove breads from pans, and while hot, brush tops with simple syrup; sprinkle on coarse sugar if desired, for decoration. Let cool.