Pullapitko eli lettivehnänen – Cardamom wheat braid

Instructions

1. Reserve all ingredients at room temperature.
2. Heat the liquid to hand temperature.
3. Crumble the yeast into the dough bowl.
4. Add the liquid and let the yeast dissolve.
5. Add sugar, salt and cardamom.
6. Mix in enough flour to make a thick batter-like mixture.
7. Whisk the mixture until glossy.
8. Add the rest of the flour to the dough by hand. Leave a little of the flour for baking and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
9. Add the softened fat to the dough and knead the dough until it comes away from your hands and the sides of the bowl.
10. Cover the dough bowl with a cloth and put it in a warm and draft-free place. Let rise about double.
11. Pour the dough onto a floured baking sheet and knead it until it is smooth so that there are no air bubbles.
12. Making the braid:
    - Two parts:
    Divide the dough into two parts. Make a bun from each piece. You can make the ends of bun braids beautiful by "cutting" the ends with the palm of your hand.
    - Three parts:
    Divide the piece of dough into three parts. Bake the pieces into strands and flatten.
    - Four parts:
    Divide the piece of dough into four parts. Bake the pieces into strands. Take two strands and twist them, i.e. braid them together, take the other two strands and braid them in the same direction as the first ones. Braid these two strands in a different direction than above.
    - Five parts:
    Divide the dough into five parts. Bake the pieces into strands. Put the strands right next to each other.Bring up the 2nd and 3rd strands and move the 5th strand to the first. Bring up the 2nd and 3rd strands and move the 5th strand to the first.
13. Put the length on the baking sheet on the baking paper. Cover with a baking sheet and let rise.
14. Brush the raised ends with a lightly beaten egg.
15. Sprinkle e.g. granulated sugar and/or ground almonds on the surface.
16. Bake at 200°C/400°F in the oven for 20-25 minutes so that the surface of the bun is nicely brown.