For many, the holidays simply look different, whether it's zoom,freezing outside on your deck, or in your garage-we get it. It feels like we are apart and yet we come up with crazy and creative ideas to just be together. Enter, the pull apart holiday cranberry bread. For all you bake-o-phobes out there-do not worry. This bread is the easiest intro to bread making you will ever try and there is no rise time, starters, or fancy strand braiding other. Enjoy your holidays and remember evethough we are pulled apart-we somehow are still together!
Ingredients
1 packet yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1 cup warm water (takes about 1 minute in microwave-105-115 degrees)
pinch of sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
2.75-3 cups unbleached flour
2 TBSP. neutral tasting oil (I used organic non GMO canola oil)
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cranberries (or if you don't want or have fresh dried cranberries work too)
1-2 tsp. maple syrup
Topping
1 TBSP milk of choice ( I used So Delicious Coconut milk)
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. sugar
Directions
Heat 1 cup water in microwave for one minute (temp should be between 105-115 degrees)
While water is heating, add maple syrup to cranberries in a small bowl and mix
In a bowl combine pinch of sugar, yeast, and water and whisk till combined.
Wait about 5 minutes until yeast is foamy and creamy looking. (check video to see what this looks like).
Add sugar, salt, oil and whisk again
Add half the flour (1 1/2 cup)- and begin mixing
Add cranberries-mix
Add rest of flour (the remaining 1 1/4 cup and mix
(I would initially start with 2 3/4 cups and if dough is still sticky-add flour in tablespoons until dough is easy to handle).
Knead briefly with hands until dough is smooth (watch video for more info on this).
Pat dough into a circle and cut into 16 small pieces. (you can do 12 if you like but we find 16 fits an 8x8 pan beautifully).
Roll each piece in a ball shape and line them up in 4x4 rows-Try to roll the shapes as evenly as you can-but dont worry if they aren't perfect.
Combine the "wash" for the topping on the bread.
Spread with a brush or your hands all over the tops of the balls and sprinkle with sugar. It will give your bread a lovely brown, caramelized and crunchy finish. It won't be shiny however.
Place for 25-30 minutes in preheated 425 degree oven.
If it's not cooked well underneath or not brown enough for you-place back in oven 1-3 minutes on 450.
Let cool. No slicing required, just pull apart and enjoy togther.