Cranberry Orange Walnut Braided Bread
Yield = 1 large or 2 small loaves
Ingredients
Starter
1 cup
½ cup
1/8 tsp
Dough
2 ¼ cups
1 ¼ tsp
2 tsp
1/3 cup
1/4 cup
2 large
1 large
1/4 tsp
1 grated peel
Filling
¾ cup
¾ cup
¼ cup
Topping
Sparkling Sugar, for decorating
(128 grams)
(113 grams)
(287 grams)
(6 grams)
(6 grams)
(67 grams)
(57 grams)
(85 grams)
(85 grams)
(50 grams)
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Cool Water (50-55 degrees)
Instant Yeast
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Salt
SAF Gold Instant Yeast *
Granulated Sugar
Unsalted Butter - melted
Eggs
Egg Yolk – reserve the white to brush on loaf before baking
Fiori di Sicilia flavor
Large Orange
Dried Cranberries
Chopped Walnuts – chop pieces fairly small
Light Brown Sugar
* If you cannot find the SAF Gold Instant Yeast then just use Instant Yeast. The rise time for the bulk rise (step 6 below) and the rise time for the shaped loaves (referenced in step 14 & 16 below) will be 15-20 minutes longer.
To Make the Starter the day before baking
Put all ingredients for starter in a mixer bowl. Mix on slow speed with the paddle attachment of the mixer for 2 minutes.
Place starter in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave on counter overnight. Make sure bowl is large enough for the starter to double or triple depending on room temperature.
To make the dough on baking day
Place the flour for the dough in the bowl of your mixer. Using a whisk, mix in the salt to disperse it in the flour. Now add the yeast and whisk again. Now add your starter that was made the day before, the sugar, butter, eggs, egg yolk, Fiore di Sicilia, and orange peel.
Using the paddle of your mixer, mix all ingredients on slow speed for two minutes.
Switch from the paddle to the dough hook on your mixer and knead the dough on speed 4 for 7 minutes. Don’t worry if at the end of the 7 minutes you still have dough stuck to the side of the bowl. The dough will be sticky at this point.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl making sure to get all of the dough from the sides of the mixer bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 2 hours. This is referred to as the bulk rise in the asterisk note above.
While the dough is rising, put all ingredients for the filling in a bowl and mix well.
Divide the dough into three equal parts (if making two small loaves then divide the dough into 6 equal parts)
Using a silicone mat and a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a rectangle measuring 6 by 12 inches (if making two loaves each rectangle will measure 6 by 8 inches).
Place equal parts of the filling onto each rectangle. Starting at one of the wide sides, roll the rectangle up to form a rope. The rope will either measure 12 inches if making 1 loaf or approximately 8 inches if making two loaves. Make sure to completely seal the ends and seam of each of the ropes you formed.
Now braid three pieces of rope together to form a braided loaf. Do this twice if making two loaves.
Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray the parchment paper lightly with a bakers spray (canola oil).
Place the braided bread on the oiled parchment paper (if making two loaves make sure to leave room between each one as the bread will rise considerably).
Spray the top of the bread lightly with bakers spray and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the bread to rise for 90 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while the bread is rising.
After the 90 minute rise, remove the plastic wrap from the bread. Mix the reserved egg white with one tablespoon of water. Brush the egg white mixture on the bread and then sprinkle sparkling sugar on top.
Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The internal temperature of the bread should be 190 degrees or higher when ready. If the bread has not reached the proper temperature after 30 minutes continue to bake until it reaches that temperature.
Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting.