Jane’s Sweets & Baking Journal -- janessweets.blogspot.com -- November 2011

(This recipe has been adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book, by Beatrice Ojakangas; University of Minnesota Press, 1988; see page 91, Swedish Saffron Batter Bread.)

Swedish Batter Bread with Cinnamon and Dried Cranberries

Yield: One 10" loaf made in a kugelhopf, tube, or bundt pan

1 and 1/2 tsp. instant yeast (or, 1 package active dry yeast, which you'll need to proof in the 1/4 cup of warm water below)

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 tsp. salt (I used fine sea salt.)

1/2 cup milk, slightly warm (Ojakangas says to scald and cool the milk; whether this old-fashioned scalding step is still necessary these days with modern milk is still up for debate. In any case, use milk that's warm. I did not scald mine first.)

1 and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (Freshly ground is best; do it yourself when possible!)

3 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached.)

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3 Tbsp. granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (to sprinkle on finished bread)

In the large bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the room-temperature eggs along with the salt, beating until quite smooth. On the lowest speed, add in the yeast, water, and milk.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Add that gradually into the mixer bowl, still on the low speed. Raise the speed to medium, and beat for five minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl and beaters now and then.

Add in the cranberries on low speed, mixing until combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place it in a warm spot, and let the batter rise until it's doubled in size; this will take about 1and 1/2 to 2 hours.

Prepare your pan by liberally brushing it with soft, unsalted butter and lightly flouring it, or use baking spray (if you use baking spray, be careful not to let it pool in the bottom of the pan. Before you transfer your batter from the bowl into the pan, use a pastry brush to even it out and make sure you've gotten all the nooks and crannies, especially if you're using a kugelhopf/bundt pan.)

When the batter has doubled, stir it down; it will deflate considerably. Pour all of the batter into the prepared pan. Cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot until the batter approaches the top of the pan (I let my batter rise to about an inch from the top of the pan); this should take about 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while the batter's rising.

Bake the bread for about 40 to 45 minutes. It should be quite golden brown on the outside. I tested mine with a toothpick, too.

Cool the bread in its pan for 15 minutes then invert it onto a cooling rack.

While still warm but not hot, set the bread still on its rack over a baking sheet and liberally dust the top of it with the cinnamon sugar.