Braided Wreath Bread Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, butter, 1 egg, orange zest, salt, extract and 1 cup flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide into thirds. Roll each portion into a 20-in. rope. Braid the ropes; shape into a wreath and pinch ends to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., For glaze, beat egg; lightly brush over dough. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• Unroll bread dough. Cut into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 18 to 20 inch long strip. Braid strips. Join ends to form wreath and place on ungreased baking sheet.
• Combine 1 Tbsp. milk and egg (reserve 1 Tbsp. milk for glaze). Whisk thoroughly. Brush on top of wreath. Sprinkle tinted sugar and cinnamon on top. Set aside in a warm, draft-free place. Let proof until approximately doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake wreath 45 minutes (should sound hollow and be golden brown).
• Mix reserved milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fill decorating bag or sandwich bag approximately 1/3 full. Snip off end of bag. Starting at inside edge, pipe a continuous line from inside to outside all around wreath. Repeat if necessary until glaze is gone or desired coverage is achieved.
• Divide ready to spread frosting into two bowls. Tint one green and one red. With green: fill bag. Cut bag tip into a point (or use a leaf decorating tip). Pipe clusters of three leaves (base of leaves joined in center, points of leaves facing out) randomly around top of wreath. With red: fill bag. Snip off end. Pipe three small red berries in centers of leaf clusters. Snip off more of bag to make enlarge hole. Pipe a bow where the ends of the bread dough was joined.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Add milk, butter, sugar, lemon rind, eggs, salt, mace, and 2 cups flour. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
• Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
• Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in half. Using a rolling pin, roll half of the dough into a 22 by 9-inch rectangle. Cover and let rest 5 minutes on the work surface.
• Cut the dough into three 22-inch long strips.
• Mix the nuts and candied fruit. Fill the center of each strip with 1/2 cup of the nut and fruit mixture. Bring edges together and pinch to seal forming three 22-inch-long strands.
• Lay the strands side-by-side on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Turn the baking sheet so the strands are facing lengthwise away from you. Starting in the center of the strands, place the right strand over the middle strand (the right strand has now become the middle strand), then the left strand over the middle, the right over the middle, left over the middle, etc. Continue this process until the strands are too short to braid. Do not pinch the end together.
• To braid the other end of the loaf, turn the baking sheet around so that the unbraided portion is facing you. Place the middle strand over the right strand, then middle strand over the left, middle over the right, middle over the left, etc., until the ends are too short to braid. Join the ends of the braid to form a wreath, and pinch to seal. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
• About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 190 degrees.
• Immediately remove bread from baking sheet and cool on a rack for 20 minutes.
• Combine powdered sugar and cream. Mixture should be the consistency of honey (if it isn't, adjust by adding more cream to thin it or powdered sugar to thicken it). Drizzle over the top of each wreath.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment and sprinkle with a thin layer of cornmeal.
• On a floured work surface, roll out the 3 dough portions into 3 long ropes. Line the 3 ropes up next to each other with the top ends overlapping and the bottom ends about 3 inches apart. Pinch the top ends. Braid the ropes together; pull the left section over to the center, then hold the old center section with your left hand and pull it to the side. Finally, bring the right section over the center. Repeat the process, alternating sides, until the entire length of bread is braided. Join both ends to form a round wreath.
• Transfer the dough wreath to the parchment lined sheet pan. Dust with flour, and cover with a kitchen towel. Let proof in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
• In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, and cheese. Set aside. Beat the egg with the water in a small bowl, and set aside
• Bake the bread wreath in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the bread from the oven, and brush it with the olive oil mixture. Put it back in the oven, and bake it for an additional 20 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of baking, coat the entire wreath with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Steps:

• Into hot milk, stir sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup butter.
• Cool to lukewarm.
• Sprinkle yeast over warm water in bowl.
• Stir to dissolve.
• Stir in lukewarm milk mixture.
• Add 2 eggs and 3 cups flour and beat at high speed for 2 minutes.
• With a wooden spoon gradually beat in 3 1/2 cups flour and mix with hand until dough is stiff enough to leave the side of the bowl.
• Knead for 10 minutes or until elastic.
• Place dough in lightly greased large bowl.
• Turn dough over to bring up greased side.
• Cover with towel and let rise for 1 1/2 hours in warm place.
• Divide dough in half and cut each half into thirds.
• Roll each third into 26" long strips.
• Braid three strips and pinch ends together.
• On a large greased cookie sheet, form braid into a ring (6 inches in diameter).
• Mix egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush top.
• Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
• Let rise 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Brush with rest of egg mixture and put sesame or poppy seeds on top.
• Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Steps:

• To make the dough:
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Then add the milk and egg and stir briefly. Add the butter and knead the dough briefly by hand in the bowl. Scrape it out onto a lightly floured work surface and continue to knead it for several minutes. You may need to add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of flour, but resist the urge to add more; the dough should be quite soft and rich. You won't be able to knead it as long as other yeast doughs, but try to get it to a point where it's no longer too sticky and can be formed into a ball.
• Place the ball back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean dishcloth and place in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour to rise.
• To make the filling:
• Place the raisins in a small bowl and add the rum and lemon juice. Set aside to macerate for 30 minutes.
• To assemble and bake:
• Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the almond paste, sugar, egg white, 1 tablespoon of milk, butter, and salt; knead together by hand until well combined. Knead in the raisins and their macerating liquid. The mixture should be creamy but will still hold its shape when spread. If necessary, mix in the remaining 1 tablespoon of milk. Set aside.
• When the proofing hour is up, gently tug the dough onto a work surface. Roll out the dough to a 13 by 16-inch/33 by 40cm rectangle. You can pull the edges out to form neat corners.
• Scrape the filling onto the dough and, using a bench scraper, spread the mixture out evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch/2.5cm border on one of the long sides. Starting from the other long side, roll up the dough. Using a sharp bench scraper, cut the roll of dough in half lengthwise, leaving about 1 inch/2.5cm at one end still attached. Working quickly, twist the 2 strands around each other all the way down the length of the roll. Then form the wrapped dough strands into a circle. Next, slice through the end that you left attached and tuck the end pieces at both ends underneath each other to make a neat closure.
• Transfer the wreath to the prepared pan (you may need someone to help you do this) and bake for 45 minutes at the second-lowest rack position, rotating halfway through. When finished, the loaf will be golden brown all over and should sound slightly hollow when tapped. It will still be quite soft.
• To make the glaze:
• Just before the end of the baking time, heat the apricot jam over medium-high heat until loose and bubbling. When the wreath emerges from the oven, immediately brush it all over with the hot jam. Place the pan on a rack to cool.
• When the wreath has almost fully cooled, sift the confectioners' sugar into a small bowl and whisk in the water. Whisk until smooth and lump-free. You want a thick but pourable glaze. Add more sugar or a drop more water as needed. Drizzle the glaze back and forth over the entire wreath. Wait 1 hour for the glaze to set and the cake to cool completely and then slice and serve. The cake is best eaten the day it is made, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely wrapped in plastic wrap, for 2 additional days.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.
• Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Set the oven at 250°F.
• Put the saffron in a cup and put it in the oven.
• After 5 minutes, pour 1/4 cup of very hot water over it.
• Let it steep for 20 minutes while you get on with the rest of the preparation.
• Put the raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water.
• Set aside.
• Mix the yeast with the milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and leave for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm but not hot spot.
• Combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Mix in the yeast mixture and then the butter.
• When everything is thoroughly combined, add the saffron mixture.
• Drain the raisins and add them.
• Mix and knead thoroughly until the dough is soft but not sticky.
• Roll it into a ball and put it in a greased bowl.
• Cover with a plastic bag and let it rise in a draft-free spot until it has doubled in bulk. This takes about 2 hours.
• Knock the dough down by thumping it firmly several times.
• Knead it for 2 or 3 minutes.
• To make a wreath shape, divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each into a rope about 18 inches long.
• Braid the 3 ropes together and twist into a circle. (Or make hollows in the wreath so that you can stick candles in them after baking.).
• Tuck the ends underneath.
• Place on a greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rise in a draft-free spot for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
• During the last 10 minutes of rising time, set the oven at 400°F
• Brush the bread with the egg wash.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the wreath is golden brown and sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom.