So after last week’s news about selling my house, I’m in the middle of moving out, while working a lot and putting my best face while enduring 35ºC (94ºF) with a million percent humidity like today.
But, as you all know, we food bloggers are a rare breed and can make a crunchy almond holiday bread in the middle of all that chaos. It’s for the blog after all! It must be done!
Considering it’s almost Christmas – yes it is, whether you’re ready or not – and I wouldn’t dream of missing the last post of Twelve Loaves this year, the bread baking group founded by Lora and run with the invaluable help of Renee, I present you with a bread with a hefty dose of almonds – ground, sliced and extract – just perfect for a quiet moment nursing your cup of whatever liquid suits your mood.
Considering it’s almost Christmas – yes it is, whether you’re ready or not – and I wouldn’t dream of missing the last post of Twelve Loaves this year, the bread baking group founded by Lora and run with the invaluable help of Renee, I present you with a bread with a hefty dose of almonds – ground, sliced and extract – just perfect for a quiet moment nursing your cup of whatever liquid suits your mood.
The theme we decided for December is holiday breads, very innovative I know, but the truth is, holidays are about traditions and eating certain foods, and friends and family demanding similar recipes year after year, sometimes so hard for us bloggers to do, don’t you agree? the same recipe I mean, I always want to make something new.
So a list of good, trusted recipes will come in very handy. Believe me, this is not the time of year to think outside the box too much and end up with hours logged in baking and nothing to account for them. There’s just too much going on to have to start all over again.
So a list of good, trusted recipes will come in very handy. Believe me, this is not the time of year to think outside the box too much and end up with hours logged in baking and nothing to account for them. There’s just too much going on to have to start all over again.
No, this is the time to make our favorites and watch those around us smile in joy at the prospect of eating that once-a-year-loaf of bread again.
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Or braided ring in my case. It turns out I have a thing for lightly sweet breads, braided and glazed. Like the Finnish pulla or the cinnamon sugar challah, my two favorites so far. And now this simple braid with a crunchy topping of almonds and coarse raw sugar – which looks like broken styrofoam bits – and pure almond extract with lemon and vanilla in the dough. Aren’t you glad you can add it to your collection?
I used to make lists of homemade gifts every year, long ones with very optimistic recipes and amounts per person. The last few years I’m cutting through the disappointment, and there are no lists, not even the thought that I have to give homemade cookies and jars to everyone I know. So, it’s a surprise if I do, even for me.
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If you want to give a braided sweet bread such as this one for the holidays, remember to wrap it as soon as it cools so it keeps moist, like the pandoro I made last year. Or add a note that it can be frozen and toasted later. Or a recipe for a caramelized apple bread pudding or french toast.
That is if you don’t eat it warm first. So good.
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Yield:
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You can use all purpose flour instead of both flours listed below. I use cream together with lowfat milk; you can use full fat milk and ½ cup water too.
Scale
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 Tbs active dry yeast
- ½ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 cup milk (I use lowfat)
- ¼ cup cream
- ¼ cup water
- 5 Tbs olive oil
- 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
For the crunchy topping:
- ¼ cup coarse raw sugar
- ¼ cup whole almonds
- ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 egg + 1 Tbs water (glaze)
Instructions
For the bread:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if you’re kneading by hand), mix 2 cups cake flour, yeast and lemon zest.
- Heat together milk, cream, water and oil to lukewarm (120ºF). Add it to the yeast mixture together with the eggs, mix with a wooden spoon a bit, and add salt, almond and vanilla extract. Mix well until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Attach to the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and start adding the rest of the flours, ½ cup at a time. Knead for 4 or 5 minutes, adding a few extra tablespoons if needed because the dough is wet. The dough will leave the sides of the bowl for the first minute when you add flour, but it won’t completely gather into a ball. That is fine.
- If making by hand, mix with a wooden spoon while you add the remaining flour, until it’s very thick. Then dump the dough into a lightly floured counter, and knead by hand for no less than 5 minutes, adding extra flour by tablespoons to make a
- slightly sticky dough.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic and let rise until doubled, about 1 ½ to 2 hours depending on the
- temperature of the room.
- On a lightly floured counter, flatten the dough into a rectangle, and cut it into three ropes.
- Pinch 3 ends together, and braid it. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
- Transfer to a parchment paper lined or greased baking sheet, and pin the two ends together to make a ring. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven 20 minutes before baking to 350ºF
For the crunchy topping:
- While the bread is rising for the last time, in a processor (I use the small one) mix sugar, whole almonds and cinnamon until it’s coarsely ground. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the sliced almonds.
- When ready to bake, mix the egg with a tablespoon of water, and brush generously but carefully the top of the dough. Sprinkle with the almond mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes, turn down the oven to 325º and bake 10 more minutes, until golden and crunchy.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Or eat warm.
adapted from Bread For All Seasons, by Beth Hensperger
Our wonderful list of holiday recipes:
- Cinnamon Pull-Apart Coffee Cake by Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cranberry Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Dionne at Try Anything Once Culinary
- Cranberry Orange Scones by Renee at Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Crunchy Almond Holiday Bread by Paula at Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Holiday Breakfast Wreath by Lora at Cake Duchess
- Mini Toffee Banana Bread with Caramel Sauce by Holly at A Baker’s House
- Nut Brittle Topped Holiday Bread by Deepti at Baking Yummies
- Pandoro by Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Stollen by Renee at Magnolia Days
Anonymous says
December 9, 2014 at 15:04Hello,
I have a question, we want to make this bread to sell in our bakery in the Netherlands. We already tried to make it but every time it turned out to wet. In the list of ingredients it says 3 eggs but I can't find them anywhere in the recipe. So do I need the eggs or not. If so what are we doing wrong. It is more like a cake mixture. Please help!
wp_vknotes_admin says
December 11, 2014 at 10:47Hi. You're right, I corrected the recipe. The eggs are added with the warm milk mixture, the way you do with brioche recipes.
Sorry for the mistake and hope you can try it again!
The eggs make this bread much tender and with that brioche-like consistency that is so amazing. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Aurica says
March 4, 2014 at 13:35it look so crunchy and fluffy in the same time, a great and fresh bread that i will eat it empty, without nothing, that how good look for me 😀
maria at inredningsvis says
February 12, 2014 at 18:36WOW this looks SO amazing 🙂 and thanks so much for sweet words on my blog.
Check out my new post..HOT travel inspiration….Yucatan 🙂
Have a lovely day dear
LOVE Maria at inredningsvis – inredning it's, Swedish for decor 🙂
Mel says
December 30, 2013 at 19:19That bread is so gorgeous, Paula! Seriously. I just made a note to try a braided ring very, very soon. Good luck with your move (if you aren't done already) – I hope you had a Merry Christmas and find great irony in the fact that one of my very favorite virtual friends I've made is living where the temps are MORE than 100 degrees warmer than where I live. Isn't that unreal?
Mary Callan says
December 29, 2013 at 20:58congrats on the house – you are quite a woman to be making bread with all that going on and those temps!! the bread looks FANTASTIC – i'm simply drooling.
Mary x
Kitchen Riffs says
December 29, 2013 at 20:41Just stopping by you wish you a Happy New Year!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
December 29, 2013 at 19:14Gorgeous loaf, wishing I could rip a piece right off the screen! Happy New Year!
Gourmet Getaways says
December 29, 2013 at 07:39Oh I would love to make this bread. So festive and delicious looking!
Merry Christmas.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
December 24, 2013 at 00:52If you had time to make this almond holiday bread with all that is happening in your life, then it must be special. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
December 31, 2013 at 22:13Just stopped back by to wish you all the best for the New Year.
vanillasugarblog says
December 24, 2013 at 00:51Another gorgeous bread from you.
I wanted to say Merry Christmas to you!
laurasmess says
December 23, 2013 at 14:42This looks wonderful Paula! Love the golden crunchy topping, such a beautiful contrast to the soft and sweet interior. I could easily devour this whole ring, though my trousers would probably berate me for it! I'm definitely putting this on my to-make list. Yum! I hope that you and your family are enjoying a beautiful festive season so far. Merry Christmas! xxx
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
December 23, 2013 at 14:08Paula: What a pretty almond ring (and a flavorful one as well). Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy 2014!
marla says
December 23, 2013 at 13:54This bread is gorgeous! Would love some for breakfast!
Susan Lester says
December 21, 2013 at 19:20Wow, Paula! I would have loved the chance to visit your cafe! This is just gorgeous. And I'll bet it's just as delicious as it looks.
Wishing you a very lovely Christmas! xoxo
Angie Schneider says
December 21, 2013 at 15:28The bread has turned out marvelous, Paula. I wish you and yours a wonderful and relaxing holiday season.
Angie
e / dig in says
December 19, 2013 at 00:31i hope your move went well, paula, and we hear from you again soon. all the best for a steamy wonderful christmas. i have been so inspired by your writing and cooking. can't wait to see more in 2014, e XX
Elzbieta Hester says
December 18, 2013 at 06:46All the best with moving! Beautiful bread! 🙂 ela
Shulie Foodwanderings says
December 15, 2013 at 20:06You are at it again Miss Paula and in the midst of a move?!HOw impressive! A slice of this almond holiday cake would go perfectly with my tea now.