hey everyone it's natasha from natashaskitchen.com Today we're making a wreath
bread that has a crisp crackling crust and a super soft center. Forming bread
into a wreath is so easy and your friends and family will be impressed.
Good news, this recipe has very little active time so you can make it in the
background while you're working on your holiday feast. First, stir together 14
ounces of warm water and half a teaspoon of molasses. Set those aside and in a
large mixing bowl combine two and a half cups of all-purpose flour, 2 and 1/3 cups
of bread flour, 2 teaspoons of salt and one and a quarter teaspoons of instant
yeast. Whisk that together then add your water molasses mixture and stir together
with a spatula just until it comes together. If the dough still feels too
sticky add more flour, one tablespoon at a time. You'll need to knead the mixture
together by hand for about four minutes. I usually add about two to three
tablespoons of extra flour. When you're done kneading, the dough should feel soft
and sticky to the touch but shouldn't stick to clean fingertips. Cover the bowl
with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for four hours. Every
hour as it rests punch down the dough with a wet hand and fold it over onto
itself a few times. Using a wet hand will keep the dough from sticking to your
hands without adding any unnecessary flour. After the four hours of rising
time, punch down the dough one last time and pinch it in the center to divide
into two pieces.
Generously dust a large sheet of parchment paper with flour. Place the
first piece of dough in the center turning to coat so it's easier to work
with and use your fingers to poke a hole in the center. Gently and evenly stretch
your dough to about a 5 to 6 inch diameter in the center and 9 to 10 inch
diameter on the outside. Grab another large sheet of parchment paper and
repeat the process with the second piece of dough.
Let the rings rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the
oven to 450˚ F and place a cast iron or broiler pan on one side
of the bottom rack and a large upside-down baking sheet on the center
rack. Once the rings have risen, dust the top generously with all-purpose flour.
All you need is a pair of sharp kitchen shears. Holding the scissors at a
45˚ angle, cut deep slits into the dough about one and a half inches apart.
Pull the leaves away from the ring as you cut them. It helps to turn the entire
dough ring as you slice to ensure that you're keeping the same angle. Once all
of your leaves are cut, fan them out a bit with your hands and repeat with the
second ring. All right, our oven is hot and ready. Use a second baking sheet to
help you transfer your dough. Transfer it with the parchment paper to your hot
cookie sheet and immediately add one cup of ice cubes to the cast iron pan below,
being careful not to drip on any glass surfaces bake at 450˚F
for 20 minutes then repeat with the second wreath, adding more ice cubes. I'm
so excited right now! It totally smells like a bakery in my kitchen and we get
to do the taste test! You know how when you go to your favorite fancy restaurant
and you get some bread that's like the best tasting bread of your life, that's
what this is! It's a true crusty French bread! It is crunchy on the outside and
so soft inside. So we're gonna break this apart and that's the beauty of this, you
can either slice it or break it. Look at the steam! I probably should wait a
little bit normally, but I am just way too impatient. Oh man, that is soft bread!
That's what I'm talking about. Okay, and you can serve this with just butter. You
know what else is really beautiful, you can lay it out as like an edible
centerpiece, you can put butter in the center and then a dip that I'm going to
show you here after we do a quick butter taste test because I can't wait!
Oh, yum yum! Actually you know what, listen to this crunch and you will be sold. Take
a look at this. Yes! I'm seriously excited right now because this is the best bread
ever! Okay, I'm gonna take a bite, big bite...
mmm... It has an unbelievably crunchy crust in
the center is like marshmallow soft, this is perfect. I don't think it gets any
better than this. I'm gonna thoroughly enjoy this, oh and the dip that I was
telling you about. So also fancy restaurant, you want to be
like a fancy person. All right, so a little bit of extra-virgin olive
oil, a little glug. I like that word glug. A little bit of balsamic vinegar and
some salt and pepper
and then you just kind of push your bread around in it get all the flavors.
YUM! I love when there's a taste test number
two! This is definitely a special occasion bread but it literally took
like five minutes of active time. It is so easy. If you guys enjoyed this recipe,
give me a great big thumbs up below, make sure to subscribe to our Channel and
make this for your next holiday party! Everybody will be so impressed! We'll see
you later. Hey, before you go, if you love really impressive and easy-to-follow
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