Christmas Santa Bread Recipe – Love With Recipes
Category: Yeast Breads
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 750g |
| Water | 190g |
| Whole milk | 120g |
| Butter | 90g |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 60g |
| Fine salt | 15g |
| Sugar | 7g |
| Dry yeast | 6g |
| Gaeta olives | 2 |
| Egg | 1 |
| Food coloring (red) | As needed |
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Begin by dissolving the dry yeast in lukewarm water. In a separate bowl, add the sugar to the warm milk and stir until it dissolves. Next, pour the milk mixture into the yeast solution, then add salt to the bowl. Stir the mixture gently to combine.
Step 2: Knead the Dough
Add the flour gradually while mixing, then incorporate the olive oil into the dough. Once the ingredients are roughly mixed, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead vigorously for several minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Step 3: Let the Dough Rise
Place the dough into a large bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Step 4: Shape the Bread
After the dough has risen, divide it into two parts. One portion should weigh around 900g, and the other 450g. Roll out the larger piece into a rough triangle shape on a lightly floured surface.
Using a pasta cutter or knife, cut the remaining dough into small strips (approximately 1 cm wide). These will form the decorations for the Santa face.
Step 5: Create the Santa Face
With the larger dough triangle as the base, create the Santa face by adding the dough strips as follows:
-
Beard: Roll the smaller dough portion slightly, then cut it into 1 cm strips without completely cutting them apart. Twist the strips into curls and arrange them on the bottom half of the triangle to resemble Santa’s fluffy beard.
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Mustache & Nose: Form small logs from the remaining dough to create the mustache, placing them just above the beard. Take a small piece of dough, roll it into a ball, and place it in the center for the nose.
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Hat: Fold the top of the dough slightly to form the pointed Christmas hat. Create a small pom-pom by pinching off a small piece of dough, and using scissors, snip it to give it texture. Attach the pom-pom to the top of the hat.
Step 6: Add the Features
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Eyes: Use the Gaeta olives to create Santa’s eyes. Place them gently into the dough, ensuring they sit symmetrically.
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Hat Color: In a small bowl, beat the egg and add a few drops of red food coloring until you achieve a vibrant red shade. Use a brush to paint the hat with the red egg wash.
Step 7: Final Touches
Using a pastry cutter, trim the edges of the dough to give it a clean, neat look. Brush the dough with the remaining egg wash to create a golden finish when baking.
Step 8: Bake
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. The Santa face will rise beautifully as it bakes.
Step 9: Cool and Enjoy
Once the bread is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Serve this whimsical Christmas Santa bread warm, and enjoy it with family and friends during your festive celebrations.
Notes:
This bread can be decorated to suit your preference. The use of food coloring for the hat adds a festive touch, and the olives give the bread an eye-catching and humorous character. Enjoy making this delightful bread, perfect for any holiday occasion!
