Best 4 Norwegian Christmas Bread Recipes

**Embark on a Culinary Journey to Norway: Discover the Enchanting Flavors of Traditional Christmas Bread**

During the festive season, Norwegian households are filled with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked Christmas bread, a beloved culinary tradition that has been passed down through generations. This delectable treat, known as "Julekake" or "Julebrød", is a staple of Norwegian Christmas celebrations, gracing tables across the country. In this comprehensive guide, we present a collection of cherished recipes that capture the essence of Norwegian Christmas bread, offering a taste of this heartwarming tradition. From the classic sweet bread studded with raisins, cardamom, and orange zest to variations featuring unique ingredients like ginger, almonds, and marzipan, this article unveils a world of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds and transport you to the heart of Norwegian Christmas. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting your culinary adventure, these recipes provide a step-by-step roadmap to recreate this cherished holiday delicacy in your own kitchen. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and let's embark on a delightful baking journey, one that promises to fill your home with the comforting scents and flavors of Norwegian Christmas.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Norwegian Christmas Bread image

When my husband became a minister for a church in an area populated with Norwegians, my father-in-law was delighted because I had easy access to recipes he enjoyed as a child. This is a traditional Christmas bread, but I make it for any holiday we get together. -Deborah Petersen, Princeton, New Jersey

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 55m

Yield 2 loaves.

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3-3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup diced citron or mixed candied fruit

Steps:

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, egg, butter, salt, cardamom and 2 cups flour; mix well. Stir in raisins, citron and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to greased top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Shape each portion into a flattened ball. Place in two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts :

YULEKAKE - NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Yulekake - Norwegian Christmas Bread image

This recipe has been in my husband's Norweigan side of the family for generations. It was passed on from his great grandmother to his grandmother and so on. I noticed two recipes already posted in Recipezaar (julekake), but this one is prepared a bit different. It's a very dry fruit bread. Definitely used for dunking in your coffee or slathered with butter. I am not a big fan of it, but I make it at Christmastime for my husband as he adores it.

Provided by Lulu 280529

Categories Yeast Breads

Time 4h30m

Yield 2 loaves, 24-30 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 (1 3/4 ounce) jar ground cardamom (fine powder, use 1/4 of the jar for this 2-loaf recipe)
1 cup chopped citron
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1 1/2 cups regular raisins
5 cups boiling water (approximately)
2 (1/4 ounce) packages each dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups scalded 2% low-fat milk or 2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
8 cups flour
1 beaten egg, used to brush on top loaves before baking
2 tablespoons melted butter, to brush on top loaves after baking is complete

Steps:

in a heatproof bowl, put all raisins together and cover with approximately 5 cups of boiling water to soften. set aside.
mix the 2 packages of dry yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water. mix well and let sit.
boil 2 cups of milk until scalded. turn down heat to medium and add the 3/4 cup of butter until melted. remove from heat and set aside.
in a large bowl measure 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 of the container of cardamom. mix well.
add the two beaten eggs to the dry mixture. then add the milk/butter mixture. gradually add 6 of the 8 cups of flour and the dissolved yeast.
drain the raisins. add the raisins and citron to the mix. now add the remaining 2 cups of flour.
time to knead the bread! i use my heavy-duty mixer as it is easier on my hands and back. if manual knead, place dough on floured breadboard and knead completely.
once the bread is kneaded, place into a large pre-floured bowl and cover with a dish towel or cloth allowing it to rise for 1 hour.
after the dough has risen, cut it into two loaves. place each into a pre-greased, pre-floured baking loaf pan.
again, cover each loaf pan and allow to rise for another hour.
before placing the loaves into a pre-heated 300 degree oven, cut the top of each loaf with an X design, or a fancy cut design of your choice, and brush with 1 beaten egg.
bake the loaves for 45 minutes at 300 degrees. increase the heat to 325 degrees for the next 30-45 minutes (test after 30 minutes with a toothpick for doneness - make take longer, make take less depending on your oven temperature).
remove the loaves from the oven and brush with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
let loaves cool completely before removing from pans.
note: if you choose to omit the citron, which i do often, use 2 cups each of the golden and regular raisins instead.

JULE KAKE NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Jule Kake Norwegian Christmas Bread image

Provided by Food Network

Time 5h40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

5 cups bread flour, plus additional for dusting
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 pound (1 stick) salted butter, diced
2 ounces fresh yeast
3 large eggs
2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups candied citron or other candied fruit

Steps:

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour, sugar, cardamom and salt in the mixer bowl. Combine the milk, butter, yeast and 2 eggs in another bowl, then incorporate into the dry ingredients with the mixer at low speed, 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is sticky but will not stick to your hand, about 12 minutes.
Add raisins and citron on slow speed to incorporate, about 1 minute (do not overmix).
Let the dough relax in the mixing bowl, covered, for 10 minutes.
Mix to knock down, then remove to a flour-dusted table.
Divide into four pieces and let rest, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Form dough into desired shapes, such as round loaves. Beat remaining egg and paint dough with egg wash. Transfer dough to a pan. Let rise again, covered, until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Paint again with egg wash. Bake until the loaves are deeply brown and sound hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Let fully cool.

JULEKAKE - NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Julekake - Norwegian Christmas Bread image

Christmas for people of Norwegian descent wouldn't be Christmas without sweet gjetost, havarti cheese, smoked fish and flatbrød accompanied by glögg; lefse and limpa bread or julekake, with butter, sugar, fresh lingonberry sauce and cloudberries and some combination of cookies like fattigman bakelse, krumkake, sandbakkels, rosettes, berlinerkranser. From the Minnesota Scandinavian chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947.

Provided by Molly53

Categories Yeast Breads

Time 4h

Yield 3 loaves

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

2 compressed yeast cakes, softened in
1/4 cup water, lukewarm
1 pint milk
1 cup lard or 1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
7 cups flour (more as needed)
1/2 lb raisins or 1/2 lb sultana
4 ounces citron, sliced
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons milk or 3 tablespoons water

Steps:

For the glaze: mix ingredients together and brush over bread before baking.
Soften yeast in water; add milk.
Blend in 3 cups of flour and beat until smooth.
Cream the shortening, sugar and salt toether; add to this the beaten eggs and cardamom.
Add to batter along with remaining flour.
Knead until smooth, adding more flour as necessary.
Dust fruit with a little flour and add to dough.
Cover and let rise until doubled; punch down and let rise again until doubled.
Divide dough into three portions and shape into loaves.
Place in greased bread pans and dust lightly with flour.
Cover and let rise until doubled.
Lightly brush tops of loaves with glaze.
Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden and done.
Remove from oven, cool briefly in pan, then turn out onto cooling rack.

Tips:

To achieve the best flavor and texture, use high-quality ingredients.
Make sure your yeast is active by testing it with a small amount of warm water and sugar before adding it to the dough.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and divide it into two equal parts.
Roll out each part of the dough into a long rope and braid them together.
Transfer the braided dough to a greased baking sheet and let it rise again for 30 minutes.
Bake the bread in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
Let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving.

Conclusion:

Norwegian Christmas bread, also known as julekake, is a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for the holiday season. With its unique flavor and beautiful presentation, this bread is sure to impress your family and friends. So, gather your ingredients and give this recipe a try - you won't be disappointed!