Sally M's Swedish Coffee Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom, crushed or 6 whole cardamom seeds, crushed
• 4 1/2-5 cups flour

Directions

1. 1

   Combine milk and butter in a saucepan and heat until lukewarm (105-115F). Pour into mixing bowl.

2. 2

   Add eggs, sugar, salt, yeast, cardomon and 1 cup flour.

3. 3

   Beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer.

4. 4

   Gradually add flour, stirring by hand until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

5. 5

   Place dough on a floured board and knead for 8-10 minutes.

6. 6

   Transfer to a greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled in size.

7. 7

   Punch dough down and divide in half then divide each half into 3 pieces.

8. 8

   Roll each piece into a rope and create two braided loaves, each with three pieces.

9. 9

   Place loaves in two greased bread pans, brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

10. 10

    Preheat oven to 350°F.

11. 11

    Allow loaves to rise until doubled.

12. 12

    Bake in oven, approximately 30 minutes.