Bollar (Egg bread with cardamom)

I had been fascinated by this recipe for bollar bread ever since I saw it. I always loved the taste of milk with cardamom, and this was like a chai challah.

Due to a mistake the first time I made this recipe--I forgot the butter--I discovered that this recipe makes a really nice bagel as well as its traditional braided bread. I've since tried it the traditional way, and the crowd went wild. (By "crowd," I mean lab pot luck.)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 packets (.5 oz) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup + 1 tsp. sugar (divided use)
  
• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (or seeds of 12 pods, crushed)
• 5 eggs, room temperature (divided use)
• 2 tbsp. milk
  
• 7-8 cups all-purpose flour (see below)
• 1/2 cup butter, melted (omit for bagels)
  
• Poppy seeds for garnish
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and 1 tsp. sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bubbles should begin to form; if they do not, start over with different yeast. (This is called proofing the yeast.)
2. Heat the evaporated milk to around 110 degrees. (The easiest way is microwave for about 30 seconds.)
3. Add milk, four eggs, cardamom, salt, and sugar to the yeast mixture. Beat until combined. Add about half the flour and stir with a hard spatula until combined.
   
4. Add the melted butter to the mixture (if making bread). Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, kneading by hand, until the dough is firm but not dry. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Dust a counter or board with flour and place the dough on top. Knead by hand until smooth, about 10 minutes.
6. Rinse the mixing bowl, grease it, and put the dough back in. Put somewhere warm and allow to rise until doubled, about one hour.

FOR BAGELS:

1. Remove the dough and cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece between your hands until you have a strand about 8" long, then join them at the ends.
2. Arrange the bagels on baking sheets, cover and allow to rise until doubled again, approximately 1 hour more.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Boil some water. Drop the bagels into the boiling water for 3 minutes, flipping halfway through, then transfer back to the baking sheets.
   
5. Beat the remaining egg with the 2 tbsp. milk. Brush onto each bagel, then dust with poppy seeds if desired.
   
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

FOR BRAIDED LOAVES:

1. Cut dough into 9 even pieces. ("Even" is the operative word here, lest your braids be misshapen.) Roll the pieces into strands about 12" long. If you want a loaf that's thicker in the middle (like a challah), taper the strands at the ends.
2. Lay three strands at a time side by side, parallel to one another. Squeeze the ends of the three strands together. Braid as you would a hair braid: put the left between the middle and the right, then put the right between the "new" middle and left, and so on.
3. Arrange the three loaves onto baking sheets and allow to rise another hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
5. Beat the remaining egg with the 2 tbsp. milk. Brush onto each loaf, then dust with poppy seeds if desired.
   
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Makes 12 bagels or three loaves.