Swedish-Style Christmas Bread

Ingredients

• 500 g flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fennel powder
• 0.5 cube fresh yeast (ca. 42 g)
• 200 ml lukewarm milk
• 130 g low-fat quark
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp milk (for brushing)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Mix the flour with salt and fennel in a bowl, create a well in the center, crumble in the yeast and stir with 4 tbsp lukewarm milk until smooth. Dust the edges with flour and cover to rest for about 15 minutes.

2. 2.

   Add the remaining milk and quark, knead into a smooth dough; add more milk or flour if needed, then cover and let rise for another 60 minutes.

3. 3.

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with upper and lower heat.

4. 4.

   Shape the dough into small balls and tightly pack them in a greased loaf pan. Let rise for another 15 minutes.

5. 5.

   Whisk the egg with milk and brush the dough; bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Remove, cool, release from the pan, break into pieces, and serve.