Swedish Vanilla Bread
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A sweet, soft, brioche-like bread infused with vanilla.
Author:
Serves: 1 loaf
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk
  • ½ stick (50g) butter
  • 1 vanilla pod (or 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste)
  • 3 + ⅓ cups (500g) plain flour
  • 1 tsp dried yeast
  • ¼ cup (50g) caster sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 whole egg, beaten for glazing (optional)
Instructions
  1. Place the milk and butter into a medium saucepan and bring up to just under a boil.
  2. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, and add them to the pan along with the pod. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, place the flour, yeast and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
  4. Fish out the vanilla bean from the milk, and add it to the mixer (it should be only just warm by now - if it's still too hot, leave it for longer), along with the egg yolks and begin mixing on a low speed until the dough comes together and looks smooth.
  5. If mixing by hand, start with a wooden spoon and then knead until the dough is smooth and combined.
  6. Cover the dough with plastic, and set aside for an hour or until doubled in size.
  7. Split the dough into three, and roll them into long ropes and braid them together into a loaf, and then place it on a lined baking sheet. Set aside for 45 minutes to prove.
  8. Preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Brush the loaf with beaten egg (if using), and place into the hot oven for 10 minutes, before turning the temperature to 400F/200C and baking for another 35 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the base.
  9. DEVOUR.
Recipe by The Sugar Hit at https://www.thesugarhit.com/2014/02/swedish-vanilla-bread.html