This month’s Fresh from the Oven challenge was set by Michelle who blogs over at Utterly Scrummy Food For Families. I decided to make the festive wreath using my kitchen aid stand mixer, but decided not to even attempt Michelle’s directions for the actual making of the wreath, but rather to repeat my cinnamon buns layout and make a wreath using my pizza pan. To make the wreath more festive I lit a sparkler shaped in a star for the photograph. The taste is like a Chelsea bun and Dave and I each had one for after lunch dessert. I took the wreath to my cousin to add to their table for evening snacks and we were left with two to come home with. They do not keep very well, so make that your excuse for eating the whole lot in one day.
Festive Wreath
Ingredients
for the dough:
- 15 mls instant yeast
- 420 g flour
- 15 mls fructose
- 7.5 mls salt
- 50 g softened butter
- 7.5 mls ground mixed spice
- 315 mls lukewarm milk
for the filling:
- 50 g softened butter
- 30 mls fructose
- 5 mls almond extract
- 45 g flour
- 125 mls blanched almonds, half the quantity chopped
- 125 mls dried apricots, chopped
- milk for glazing
for the icing:
- 30 g chocolate
- 5 g butter
Method
for the dough:
- place the milk into a pot on a low heat while you measure out the balance of the ingredients for the dough
- using a mixer with a dough hook, add all the ingredients into the bowl
- knead for 10 minutes until the dough forms a soft ball that springs back when lightly pressed
- turn the dough out of the bowl and lightly grease the bowl
- roll the dough into a ball and place back into the bowl
- cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for 45 minutes in a warm place
- near the end of the proving time make the filling so that it's ready to use as soon as the dough has proved
for the filling:
- beat together the butter, fructose, extract and flour to make a paste
- fold in the nuts and the fruit
- knead the dough for a minute and then roll out in a large rectangle shape on a well floured surface
- position the dough with the longest edge facing you
- spread the filling over the bottom edge, then roll it up
- use a sharp knife and cut the roll into 1 inch (2.5cm) slices
- place the slices into a pizza pan around the edges, joining each slice together and pushing each one flat
- leave to prove for 45 minutes before preheating the oven to 200° Celsius
- glaze the exposed surfaces with milk
- bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through*
for the icing:
- once you have taken the wreath out of the oven melt the chocolate and the butter in the microwave
- drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the wreath
Notes
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
I then decided to make the wreath again in my bread maker. My Breville Ikon bread maker allows me to select a dough setting and so I used that. I also decided to make the wreath itself differently by cutting the rolled out dough into two and making a filling for each half. One half was the same filling as above, and the other half was a dried cherry and pistachio nut filling. I rolled each one up lengthwise and then twisted them over each other to make a rope and laid it out around my pizza pan. It was not as easy to do as the bun layout so you need to be careful not to split the dough – I was not that careful as I tried to untwist the dough and redo it! This however made no difference to the outcome. This had a lovely taste with the pistachio’s really coming through. It had less of a Chelsea bun taste than the first recipe even though the base ingredients were the same.
What a wonderful idea! Maddie and I might try this today! Hope you’re having a wonderful break, Tandy 🙂
thanks Kate – let me know how it work out! I have been having a great holiday thank you – will catch up on your blog in the new year 🙂
Your wreath looks beautiful. Happy New Year.
Thanks Sally! Have a great New Year as well 🙂
Hi Tandy, hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and this recipe looks wonderful and i will most certainly have to try it.
Thanks Usha, we have had a great holiday so far and I am so glad it is not nearly over 🙂
Your wreath looks beautiful..enjoy your festive break x
thank you so much Yvette – I am so loving this holiday 🙂 Have a super New Year xxx
Love the taste of chelsea buns and turning them into a wreath like this is such a lovely idea!
I loved the idea of adding the pistachio, these wreaths not only look gorgeous but I imagine they are easier to serve too! lovely Tandy.. c
thanks Celi, and Dave is still enjoying the one I made in the bread oven 🙂
I am so happy to hear that you are having a wonderful holiday. Actually, I was surprised to see your post but pleased to see this delicious wreath. Have a Happy New Year, Tandy.
and all the best wishes for you too Karen – I had scheduled this post before I went on leave 🙂
How festive!
thanks Greg!
Very well done, love the sparklers. Enjoy the rest of the hols, love to my puppies. xxx
they send love back! Have a super day xxx
Awesome festivity Tandy!
thanks Tammy 🙂
How pretty! I just got a Kitchen Aid mixer for Christmas! Maybe I’ll try this out! 🙂 I’ve already made rosemary french bread… about 20 min after opening the thing! Cheers!
-Jen
I got one for Christmas last year and the first thing I made was brioche 🙂 Have a super time using it!
Pretty! Well done Tandy – glad you and Dave had two to bring home for a snack.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday and Happy New Year.
🙂 Mandy
thanks Mandy – wishing you an awesome 2012 🙂
How festive! What a great presentation and way to serve bread! Plus a drizzle of chocolate certainly makes any day extra special. Hope your enjoying a wonderful holiday season!
thanks so much! Wishing you all the best for 2012 🙂
Beautifully done…now which Kitchen Aid attachment pops out a wreath again? Just Kidding.
Bless You
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
paul
and a happy new year to you to Paul 🙂
What a great, festive & tasty Christmas wreath!
Looks stunning too! 🙂
thanks Sophie 🙂
It looks wonderful and even better to have bread maker instructions too. I never thought of having different fillings in each half, great idea.
Thanks for popping by to see my blog too 🙂
Ellen
thanks Ellen – I find it so much easier to do the proving in the bread maker given that our weather is so temperamental 🙂