Garlic, herb and parmesan festive wreath
The time between Christmas and New Year is a relaxing hiatus, with my teens off school and my Mother-in-law staying for a holiday, there is no schedule, no to-do lists, just a peaceful time of reading, playing board games, walking and shared, leisurely meals. Lunch is a feast of left-overs with cheeses, cold meats, pickles and, the essential, cranberry sauce. The trick is to add one thing extra so it seems like a different meal each time and the December Fresh From the Oven challenge provided some inspiration.
A bread in the shape of a festive wreath is a lovely idea put forward by Michelle from Utterly Scrummy Food for Families. With so many dried fruit haters in my family, I went for a savoury version and raided the garden and fridge for a mixture of fresh herbs and parmesan. Mixed with butter and garlic and slathered all over a soft dough it made a fabulous, golden ‘tear and share’ loaf. Best eaten warm from the oven. I defy you not to love this loaf.
Garlic, herb and parmesan festive wreath bread – printable version
Ingredients for the dough
3 teaspoons dried yeast
315 ml lukewarm milk
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
50g softened butter
420g plain flour (not bread flour)
Ingredients for the filling
a bunch of fresh herbs, roughly chopped (I used lemon basil, basil, sage, rosemary and garlic chives)
50g softened butter
20g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
freshly ground black pepper
zest of 1/2 lemon, finely grated
freshly grated parmesan
1 egg, beaten
Method
Mix the lukewarm milk, yeast and sugar (if using) together until well-combined. Put the yeast mixture, flour, butter and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly until you get a dough just firm enough to knead. Knead by hand on a floured surface, or using the dough-hook in a mixer for about 7 – 10 minutes until the dough forms a soft ball that springs back when lightly pressed. Turn the dough into a greased bowl, cover with cling-film and leave to rise for about 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.
Beat together the herbs, softened butter, flour, chilli flakes, garlic, black pepper, lemon zest. Knead the dough for about a minute and then roll out in a large rectangle shape on a well floured surface. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, sprinkle over some parmesan, and roll it up, starting from the longest side. Put the dough onto a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking parchment, to form a circle, keeping the seam on the farthest edge. Pinch the ends together to seal the wreath. Snip the dough 16 times from the outer edge of the circle at about 4 cm intervals, cutting two-thirds of the way through, using a very sharp knife or kitchen scissors. Lift and turn every other section of dough towards the centre of the circle. Leave to prove again for about 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with some grated parmesan.
Bake at 200C/Gas Mark 6/400F for 20 – 30 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
Tear and share as soon as soon as cool enough to do so.
Hope your festive season is an enjoyable one. P.S. This is the wreath on my front door. Holly, ivy and fir branches are a bit scarce here.
P.P.S Do pop over to Fresh From the Oven in a few days for a riot of wreaths.
Trackbacks
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- ♥♥Recipe Loving ♥♥ and a Giveaway! | Eaternal Zest
- Celebrating Christmas in Dubai | Dining In, Dining Out, Cooking or Mall Hopping! «
Comments are closed.
My Custard Pie 
Sally, what a clever loaf! I’ve never seen that technique for shaping bread before, thanks for the headsup! All the best for a wonderful 2012!
I skipped this month’ s challenge. There was so much that was going on that I felt strained to even look at the oven.
I feel horrible about missing out on such a wonderful treat. Your wreath looks so classy.
HOpe you had a wonderful CHristmas, Sally.
Wishes for a wonderful New year in advance.
Wow, your wreath looks amazing! 🙂
I have to try out this version 🙂
Hope you had a great Christmas ♥
Looks and sounds scrumptious – definitely one I’ll be trying out this weekend. Thank you for never failing to inspire and delight Sally – you have a real gift.
Happy Holidays!
T.x
Oh my, that is very clever 🙂
What a clever idea–looks and sounds delicious as well.
Mmmmm… Beautiful. I can just imagine the aroma of freshly baked herbed bread. Enjoy your week– it IS a wonderful time!
Sally I fell in love with it just looking at it! Looks so wonderful, shaped like a wreath. Makes you feel more festive than you were before, I think.
Hope you had a happy Christmas and best wishes for the new year 🙂
Ooh, I think I’m going to make one (or two) of these for my New Years Eve dinner. Thanks for sharing!
So beautiful and surely really scrumptious!
Best wishes fro 2012!
Cheers,
Rosa
Oh wow, such a lovely idea. I love how you made it savory too, my family would go crazy for this wreath!
Wishing you a very prosperous and happy New Year. Enjoy!
That is very creative. Your wreath looks amazing!
super scrummy recipe Sally – and sending New Year joy and happiness to all the Prossers xx
I’ve got great friends coming round for dinner tonight – I’m going to make this, for sure. I’ve so enjoyed reading your blog this year Sally, and it was lovely meeting you in the summer. You’re an inspiration to us all! Happy New Year to you and to all your family.
You continue to astound me – I love the way you changed the ingredients and made such a pretty wreath! Have a blessed 2012 🙂
Sally this is so lovely. I also love the collage of the loaf and wreath.
Happy & Joyous Season to you and your family! And funny thing is I was thinking of making a bread like this with pesto rolled in…but the wreath is a beautiful twist (no pun intended). You have inspired!!
I have no doubts whatsoever I would eat this in one sitting. Gorgeous flavors. Happy holidays!
Such a beautiful idea SallY! Your Christmas sounded wonderful. I love days without schedules once in a while too. Hope your new year goes just as well.
I like very much the form of your wreath, very clever!
I love the idea of this…looks gorgeous!
Great job…it is so festive looking and the shaping just makes you want to tear off a piece.
All best wishes to you and your family in the new year.
Gorgeous Sally, what a beautiful thing to serve. I make a cheat’s version using croissant dough…but yours is just wonderful. Hope you had a lovely, relaxing Christmas and that this continues into the New Year. All the very best for 2012, thank you for your inspiration and your friendship x
Your wreath is gorgeous. I’ve completely failed to get involved with the last two Fresh From the Oven challenges but am planning to be back in full force in 2012 🙂
What a beautiful presentation and wonderful flavors!
This gorgeous bread is at my New Year’s menu. 🙂
I love this bread, I will harvest some fresh herbs and try it soon!
That looks wonderful and I love the way you have presented it. Beautiful photography.
Thanks for popping by to my blog too 🙂
Ellen x
I bake a wreath bread following your recipe for New Year’s Eve, with slightly different ingredients and just posted the recipe… it was DELICIOUS thank you!
I’ve always wanted to make this, thank you for sharing such a great recipe.
minnetonka モカシン