My first time trying Nisu was back in the early 90’s. I worked with a Finnish girl and her family made loaves and loaves of it, she always brought it in for company potlucks. I definitely did not spend as much time in the kitchen back then so I had never thought of making it. I also didn’t have a kitchen that called for me to spend too much time in it. When we built the home we are in now. My kitchen was built around the picture of a Viking 6 burner double oven stove.
I don’t know if the kitchen or if watching shows on the Food Network changed my attitude for spending time in the kitchen, I think it was a combination of both. But we spend ALL of our time in my beautiful kitchen cooking and baking in my Viking.
Back to bread, I have always wanted to try to make Nisu and now I have and I will make it again, while it was not hard to make, it does take a little time, mostly hands off time. It does have to proof a few times, don’t let that discourage you. Just plan on making it over the weekend while you are at home anyway.
There is a local bakery breakfast/lunch place from when I was growing up that had these amazing coffee sticks. My mouth is watering for a grilled coffee stick from Nonies. They no longer make them but I have been searching for something that remotely brings me back to my childhood and this bread if it was made into smaller individual mini loaves might be pretty close. I may test the next batch by making a few.
Nisu - Finnish sweet bread
Ingredients
- 2 packages active dry yeast or 2¼ teaspoons per packet
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 can evaporated milk 110 ℉
- 1½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 4 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8-9 cups all-purpose flour
glaze for top just before baking
- 1 egg beaten
- milk
glaze for top after cooling
- powdered sugar
- milk
Instructions
- dissolve the yeast in the warm water
- In a stand mixer or large bowl add the milk, sugar, salt, cardamon and eggs mix together and then add 2 cups of flour to make a batter. Beat until smooth and elastic.
- Add 3 cups of flour and beat well. The dough should be smooth and glossy in appearance. Add the flour one cup at a time until the dough is stiff. Add the butter and beat until the dough looks glossy again.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and invert the bowl over it to let it rest for 15 minutes or so.
- Knead the dough until it is smooth and satiny. Place it in a large lightly greased bowl and cover it lightly, let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. Punch it down and let it rise again.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal parts. Working with one loaf at a time. Divide it into 3 equal parts again, using the palm of your hands, roll each into 3 long strips about 16 inches long. Take the 3 long strips and place one end together and then braid them, pinch both ends together and turn them under. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough two more times.
- Cover the loaves with a clean tea towel and let set in a warm place to rise. about and hour or hour and a half. Preheat oven to 400 ℉. Glaze each loaf with a beaten egg and milk. Sprinkle some sugar bake for 20-30 minutes. Careful not to overbake or the bread with be dry.
- after the bread has cooled, take a little powdered sugar and a drop or two of milk to make a paste for the top as desired.
recipe adapted from Food Network
Confession time: I may have over cooked mine, at least one of the loaves FOR SURE! Those were slivered almonds!
