Swedish School Bread

I would never have know about this recipe if it weren't for the Norway Pavillion in Epcot Center.  There it was looking all beautiful with its come hither look.  But my belly was full and I just couldn't see eating one more thing.  I WISH so much that I had come back the next day with an empty belly so I could have tried it.  No matter, I wrote it down and promised to look for the recipe when I returned home.  I did find it right away after the trip (The Disney Food Blog) and am actually just getting around to make it nearly one year later.  I hate making custard.  That has what put it off for me.  I am not really a fan of custard.

I made the recipe today and shiver me timbers it is totally wrong!  I am so glad I have some experience with bread.  Enough experience that I knew something was wrong with the picture.  First of all, 3 ounces of yeast is A LOT of yeast.  No bread calls for that much unless you have a TON of flour.  But this is a family sized recipe.  So, I tweaked it to .3 ounces- roughly a tablespoon.

The next part that was wrong was the water.  WAY too much.  2 pints is equal to a quart.  With 2 pounds of flour, that is way too much water.  Drown- the- yeast- and- the- flour- kinda- too much!  It's more like 2 cups (16 ounces) or one pint.  Everything else seemed right.

The custard from allears is also incorrect. Not enough corn starch.  I have included a way better custard recipe.

This reminds me of a sweet roll that you would have with dinner.  It is not a super sweet kind of affair.  Its is a great bread for after school to be sure.  It is a great bread with a cup of tea or coffee.  A fabulous bread!



Swedish School Bread also known as Skolbread

2 pounds flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 cups water, warm (not hot)
2 ounces or half a stick of butter

In a mixer or a bowl, combine flour, cardamom, sugar, yeast.  Melt butter and add it to the warm water.  Mix in the egg.  Pour liquid mixture into mixer or bowl and combine until fully incorporated.  Knead for five minutes.  Place in a clean bowl with a little oil in it.  Let rise for 45 minutes.  Cut dough into five ounce balls and fold in thirds a few times and pinch seam at bottom.  This will give you a round.  Let rise 30 minutes.

Bake at 375F for 10 to 15 minutes until golden.  Spoon glaze over and apread while warm.  Sprinkle on coconut if you like.  This is not authentic to skolbread but it is the way Disney does it.  Once that part is done you can stick a spoon into the bread and pipe the custard into the bun.

Glaze

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1- 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix until throughly combined and fairly thick.

Vanilla Pastry Cream
adapted from, The Sono Baking Company Cookbook
by John Barricelli

4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean pod and seeds (pods scraped and put aside)
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, half of the sugar, the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of the milk.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the remaining sugar, the remaining milk, vanilla bean pod and the salt.  Bring to a boil.  Ladle the hot mixture very slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so you don't cook the egg. Once you have mixed about two ladles full, you can pour the remaining mixture into the bowl, whisk to combine.  Pour back into sauce pan and return to the heat.  Bring to a boil, making sure the pastry filling thickens.  It may look clumpy.  If large clumps begin to form take off the heat and whisk briskly.  The mixture will smooth out.

Add the three tablespoons of butter to the pastry cream, whisking until fully incorporated.  Stir in the vanilla seeds.