Pulla taikina, Finnish Pulla

500g milk
50 g fresh yeast
150 .. 200 g sugar
1 rkl cardamom
(1 egg, optional)
(75 g raisins, optional)
(1 g saffon, for Luciapulla)
1 tl salt
900 g plain flour
125 g butter

For brushing 1 egg

Heat the milk to lukewarm and pour it to big mixing bowl.
Add yeast, sugar and cardamom, mix untill yeast has dissolved ( also the optional ingredienses are added now )

Mix 10 dl flour to milk and add butter
Knead 10–15 minutes adding rest of flour and knead 5 minutes, until it does not stick to bowl. 

Notice: If you have bread machine or mixer you can do kneading with that.

Kneading is important to do because that activates the gluten in wheat and gives pulla its structure. 
Cover with kitchen towel and lets rest and rise 30 minutes.
Notice: If you want to rice batter overnight then Sugar amount should be 300 g and milk should be cold, rice in the fridge overnight

After risen put pulladough into table and knead until the bubbles break. This prevents big emty holes in pulla.

Make either pulla, korvapuusti or pitko ( or what ever shape you want) put then into oven sheet covered with baking sheet
And cover with kitchen towel and let rise for 10 to 15 minutes

Notice: if you want to freeze the dough now is time to do it. Freeze it separately, and when its time to bake it put it into oven without thawing.

If you brush your pulla with egg, now is time to do it.
Also pearl sugar or almond flakes are sprinkled on top now

Bake small pulla in 225 °C 8-12 minutes
Pitko (loaf) and cakes made from pulla dough 180 °C 35-45 minutes.

You can also use pulla dough as pie dough.

Just sprinkle toppings onto rolled sheet of pulla and bake until done.