Christmas calls for a gastronomic celebration, savoring pure decadent goodness. The holiday season is all about desserts, from cookies and cakes to pies and truffles. Yes, they are all in fashion, but a slice of freshly baked bread is different. Serve this bread with hot chocolate or any warm beverage of your choice.
Chef Amit Sharma, co-founder of Love & Cheesecake, shares three Christmas bread recipes that add delicious variety to your Christmas dessert menu. These bread recipes range from chocolate to citrus and come from Italy to Germany.
Grandmother’s Day
Holiday babka is a sweet, braided bread. It has a rich, decadent filling that makes it a pleasure to bite into, bursting with exquisite flavor. This is Jewish bread, the roots of which are Ukraine and Poland.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 hour L. instant yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 hour L. salt – 1/2 cup milk (warm)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 hour L. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
For the filling:
- 1 cup dark chocolate (chopped) – 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 hour L. ground cinnamon (optional for spice)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
For the syrup:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup of water
- h. L. vanilla extract
Method
We prepare the dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
- Add the warm milk, eggs and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix to form a soft dough.
- Add the softened butter and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Prepare the filling:
- In a heatproof bowl, melt the dark chocolate and butter together (alternatively, use a double boiler or microwave in short bursts).
- Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using) until well combined. Leave to cool a little.
Form the head:
- Once the dough has risen, punch it to release the air and turn it out onto a floured surface.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 12×18 inches).
- Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Starting at one edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the edges to seal.
- Cut the log lengthwise down the center to expose the filling layers.
- Twist both halves together to form a braided shape, then carefully place it in a greased loaf tin.
Second lift:
- Cover the pan with a damp cloth and let the babka rise for another 30-45 minutes, until it has puffed up.
Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake the babka for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Prepare the syrup:
- While the babka is baking, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Glaze the babka:
- As soon as the babka is ready, take it out of the oven and immediately brush it with warm syrup. It will give her a beautiful shine and sweets.
- Allow the babka to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Additional Chef Tips: For the consistency of the dough, if your dough seems too sticky, add a little more flour, but be careful not to overdo it, as this can make the babka dense. For a lighter babka, let the dough rise longer for an airier texture and use a little more butter in the dough.
Filling options: Feel free to experiment with other toppings like cinnamon, nuts or even marzipan for a festive touch.
storage: Dragonfly can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
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Panettone bread
Panettone is a round Italian sweet bread. It’s crunchy with lots of nuts and has a citrus flavor. Along with the crisp citrus flavor, it also has a rich, buttery texture.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of bread flour
- 2 h. L. yeast
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit
- 1 tablespoon of orange peel
- 1 hour L. vanilla extract
Method
- Dissolve the yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp. sugar and let them foam.
- Mix together the flour, sugar, eggs, butter, zest and yeast mixture. Knead the ingredients into a sticky dough.
- Add dried fruit to the dough and gently knead until smooth. Set aside and let the dough rise.
- Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it in the panettone pan.
- Bake the loaf at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes. Serve with powdered sugar and garnish with candied oranges.
Stolen bread
Stollen is a traditional German bread. This sweet, dense bread is filled with dried fruit, nuts and marzipan and flavored with spices like cinnamon and cardamom.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp of yeast
- 1/2 cup milk (warm)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit (soaked in rum)
- 1/4 cup almonds (chopped)
- 200 g of marzipan (rolled into a round)
- 1 hour L. ground cinnamon
Method
- Mix yeast, warm milk and 1 tsp. L. sugar. Let stand until frothy.
- Mix flour, sugar, butter, eggs and yeast mixture. Knead a smooth dough.
- Add dried fruit, almonds and cinnamon. Knead again.
- Let rise for 1 hour.
- Roll out the dough, place the marzipan in the center and fold.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40-45 minutes. Serve hot and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
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