Pulla Yeast Coffee Bread

Do not expect pulla to be light and fluffy; it is a moist rich coffee bread.  It is served without butter and is a delight when it is hot.  The Finnish housewife usually bakes on Saturday so there will be fresh pulla for Sunday morning coffee.

A straight braid is the standard form for pulla, but the braided pulla dough is often shaped into a wreath for special occasions such as name days, birthdays, anniversaries, or other honor celebrations.  (In Finland, one's "name day" or saint's day-the day that bears the name of the saint after whom one is named-is celebrated by adults instead of the birthday.  Children, however, do celebrate birthdays.)

Note:  Observe carefully the order of combining the ingredients.  The melted butter is added after about half of the flour.

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups mik, scalded and cooled to lukewarm

1 cup (or less) sugar

1 teaspoon salt

7-8 whole cardamom pods, seeded and crushe