Today I want to show you how to make Christmas Wreath Bread. We’ll make sweet yeast dough and two different fillings. This soft and fragrant wreath bread is a great way to start a holiday morning or to make it as a gift for your loved ones.

Ingredients for the dough:

200 ml warm milk
7g dry active yeast
100g sugar
2 eggs
70g melted butter
2 eggs at room temperature
¼ tsp salt
550-600g sifted flour
1 egg + 1 tbsp milk for the egg brush

Ingredients for the first filling:

30g melted butter
80g sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the second filling:

30g melted butter
60g chopped white chocolate
60g dry cranberries
zest of 1 orange

Step 1

Let’s start by proofing the yeast. Combine the warm milk, dry yeast, a tablespoon of sugar and give it a stir. Add about 6 tablespoons of flour and stir again. The milk should be warm NOT hot to the touch and no salt is needed when you’re proofing the yeast. The consistency of the mixture should be almost like pancake dough. Set it in a warm place for 15-20 minutes.

Step 2

In a stand mixer bowl combine the eggs, sugar, salt, melted butter and whisk until combined well.

Step 3

Add the yeast mixture and half of the flour. Change the whisk attachment to a hook attachment and start kneading the dough, adding the rest of the flour gradually.

Don’t add to much extra flour. Everyone has different flour, and some may need a little more or a little less. The whole kneading process in a stand mixer should take about 10-15 minutes. The dough should turn out very soft and slightly sticky.

Step 4

Coat a clean bowl with a teaspoon of vegetable oil and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

Step 5

While the dough is rising, let’s make the fillings. For the first filling we’ll need melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

Step 6

For the second filling we’ll need melted butter, zest of one orange, dry cranberries and white chocolate that I chopped in small pieces. Add the orange zest to the melted butter, give it a stir and set aside until we’re ready to use it.

Step 7

Meanwhile, our dough has doubled in size and become very airy. Now we need to deflate it and expel the gases. Transfer the dough onto the work surface and divide it in two.

Step 8

Roll the first piece into a rectangle shape about ¼ of an inch thick. Keep the second piece of the dough covered with plastic wrap. Spread the butter cinnamon filling over the entire surface of the dough. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to smooth it evenly.

Step 9

Starting on the long end, roll the dough up tightly. Seal the roll by pinching the edge against the roll. Flip the roll seam down and with a sharp knife, cut the roll in half lengthwise. Carefully turn the halves, so the cut sides are facing up. Then loosely twist the halves around each other, keeping cut sides up.

Step 10

Shape the bread rope into a wreath and pinch the ends together to seal. Transfer the wreath onto a baking pan covered with parchment paper or a Teflon sheet. You can transfer the bread rope onto a baking sheet and shape it into a wreath on it, if it’s more convenient for you.

Step 11

Next, roll the second piece into a rectangle and spread the butter with orange zest filling over the entire surface of the dough. Evenly spread the white chocolate and dry cranberries within 1 inch of the edges. Press the filling into the dough with the palm of your hand.

Step 12

Next, we need to repeat the same steps. Starting on the long end, roll the dough up tightly. Seal the roll by pinching the edge against the roll. Flip the roll seam down and with a sharp knife, cut the roll in half lengthwise. Carefully turn the halves, so the cut sides are facing up.

Step 13

Then loosely twist the halves around each other, keeping cut sides up. Shape the bread rope into a wreath and pinch the ends together to seal. Transfer the wreath onto a baking pan and let it rise, uncovered, in a warm place until puffy, about 30 minutes.

Step 14

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Right before you bake it, brush the wreath breads with a mixture of egg and a tablespoon of milk. Bake the wreaths about 25-30 minutes or until they develop a golden-brown color.

When the wreaths are done cool them and decorate with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes:

The milk should be warm NOT hot to the touch and no salt is needed when you’re proofing the yeast.

Eat them fresh or bake the wreath breads up to 2 days ahead of time, cool them completely, then wrap tightly in foil and store at room temperature. Re-heat the bread at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

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