Swedish Cardamom Breakfast Bread

This bread is the Frankenstein's Monster of breads. It's a weird, delicious combination of a raised bread, a cinnamon roll and a croissant with an European filling thrown in for good measure. It contains a full pound of butter, so even if you fudge it a bit, you know it will still be incredible. The directions may seem complicated at first, but if you read through them well, and stay organized, it's actually pretty easy.

2 eggs
1 package dry yeast
3/4 cup water- 115 degrees
4 cups a.p. flour
1 tsp salt
10 crushed cardamom seeds
2 tbsp plus 1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup plus 1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup blanched, sliced almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp milk
In one small bowl beat eggs; in another mix yeast and water. Chill yeast in refrigerator 5 minutes then mix with eggs. In a large bowl mix flour, salt, cardamom and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter, then mix in yeast and egg mixture. Bring together to form a ball and knead for 2 minutes. Cover with a towel and let rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Roll dough out into a large rectangle. Smear on 1 cup butter.

Fold dough into thirds, flip and roll out to a rectangle. Repeat this 3 more times, ending with a dough folded in thirds. Cover and chill for 2 more hours. Meanwhile, mix on high 1/2 cup butter, confectioner's sugar, almonds, cinnamon and vanilla extract to make filling. Roll dough out to a rectangle and spread filling over center portion of dough.




Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll up dough, lay out on a greased pan in a ring.






Beat egg yolk with milk. Use scissors to cut segments, brush with egg and milk mix, sprinkle with sugar and bake 25 minutes.