Description
A fun and tasty holiday bread shaped like a Christmas tree, perfect for pulling apart into cheesy bites. Ideal for festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 tsp instant dry yeast
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup milk or water
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 8½ oz mozzarella cheese, cubed (or approx 8 string cheese sticks)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (chopped)
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Marinara (for dipping)
Instructions
- Combine all the dough ingredients except for the butter. Mix until no more dry flour is visible. Cover and let dough rest for 10 minutes in the softened butter.
- Knead with a stand mixer or by hand for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test.
- Cover and let rise for 1-1½ hours until the dough doubles in size.
- Meanwhile, cut the cheese into 30-33 pieces, each weighing approximately 7 grams.
- Punch down the dough. Divide it into balls weighing about 19-20 grams each. Cover and allow the dough to relax for 10 minutes.
- Insert cheese into each dough ball, then lay them out on parchment paper on a baking sheet in a Christmas tree design. Leave space between the balls to allow the dough to expand. Cover and let proof for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC).
- To check if the dough is ready to bake, perform a finger poke test. If the indent springs back quickly, let it proof a little longer. If it stays and slowly retracts, it’s ready to bake.
- Mix the egg and water in a small ramekin. Apply egg wash to each dough ball.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
- Combine chopped herbs with melted butter. Brush the butter mixture on the dough, then sprinkle with grated cheese and red pepper flakes.
- Warm marinara in a small serving bowl for dipping.
Notes
Use room-temperature butter and milk for better dough. Weigh dough balls for even size and baking. Brush egg wash gently for a shiny top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Christmas bread, pull-apart bread, cheesy bread, holiday appetizer