Cranberry Orange Braided Bread
Ingredients
Starter
- 1 cup 120g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup 113g cool water
- 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
Dough
- 2 1/4 cups 270g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons 8g table salt
- 2 teaspoons SAF Gold instant yeast*
- 1/3 cup 67g granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons 57g unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk white reserved
- 1/4 teaspoon combination of vanilla orange, and lemon extracts
- zest of 1 orange
- *See "tips " below.
Filling
- 3/4 cup 85g dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup 85g walnuts
- 1/2 cup 50g Sticky Bun Sugar* or brown sugar
- *See "tips " below.
Topping
- Swedish pearl sugar or coarse sparkling sugar for decorating
Instructions
- To make the starter: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine the starter ingredients, cover, and leave at room temperature overnight.
- To make the dough: Mix the starter with the dough ingredients, kneading until elastic and satiny. Let the dough rise in a greased, covered bowl for 1 to 2 hours, until puffy.
- Divide the dough into three pieces. Flatten each piece into a 6" x 12" rectangle.
- Mix the filling ingredients together, and spread each rectangle with some of the filling.
- Starting with a long edge, roll each rectangle into a log. Braid the logs together.
- Cover the braid, and allow it to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the egg white with 1 tablespoon water, and brush onto the braid. Sprinkle with pearl or sparkling sugar.
- Bake the braid for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown; a digital thermometer inserted into the center should register 190°F.
- Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool.
Notes
If you don't have Sticky Bun Sugar, replace it with brown sugar; the filling may seep out of the loaf a bit as it bakes.
Recent Comments