Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread Cheese Buns Recipes

CHRISTMAS TREE PULL-APART BREAD (CHEESE BUNS)

Steps:

• Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, combine the milk, sugar, and yeast, stirring to dissolve the yeast and sugar. Then add the eggs and whisk well.
• Transfer the flour to a clean working surface and make a well in the center. If preferred, you can do this in the bowl.Pour the liquid mixture into the well of the dry mix and start to mix the flour into the wet ingredients gradually until you obtain a dough-like mixture.
• (Move the dough onto a working surface if you haven't yet.)Knead for 7-10 minutes, stretching and folding the dough to work the gluten until you obtain a smooth, elastic dough.It's okay for the dough to be slightly tacky. If it seems a little too wet and won't become smooth, add a little extra flour to the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time until it is only slightly tacky. Don't be tempted to add too much extra flour, or the cheese rolls will be dense and blegh (technical term - of course ;) ), rather than fluffy and light.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl, sprinkling it with a little flour on top. Leave it to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes, covered with a kitchen towel.
• Once ready, place the dough back onto the work surface and start incorporating the butter into the dough little by little, kneading it to incorporate fully. It's easiest to do this as small cubes/spoonfuls.The warmth of your hands will begin to melt the butter slightly, so don't worry, this is normal - try not to get the dough too warm, though.
• Once the butter is fully incorporated, shape it back into a bowl and leave it to rest for another 10 minutes in the bowl, covered in the kitchen towel.
• Once the dough is rested, gently deflate it and then use a knife or bench scraper to divide it into 19 even pieces (around 50g/~1.8oz each).
• Roll each piece into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking tray, then chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so that they firm up.
• Once chilled, slice each dough ball halfway through horizontally, so it opens like a book - refer to the photos on the blog post. Add your small cheese cube/s or shredded cheese to the center and then close the dough. You can pinch the ends for a better seal; I didn't do this and the buns still turned out great.Roll the balls gently along the surface for a smoother finish.Chef's Note: You can alternatively flatten each dough ball into a cookie shape, add the cheese and then bring in all the edges, pinching them shut and rolling gently on a surface to smooth it.
• Arrange the dough balls onto a large baking tray into the shape of a Christmas tree. I do this in layers of 1,2,3,4, and 5 dough balls, then one or two rows of 2 balls for the tree 'base' (trunk).Don't place them too tightly to one another as we'll be doing one final prove, allowing the dough to expand further.
• Brush the dough with egg wash or melted butter and set aside to prove for around an hour in a warm area.
• Once proved, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and then bake the Christmas tree pull apart bread in the oven at 200ºC/400ºF for 18 minutes until golden brown.Chef's Note: For super cheese lovers, feel free to add a cheese crust/topping. To do this, sprinkle the buns with cheese before baking - this will become golden and turn crisp.Once baked, top with your additional topping of choice (like cranberries and rosemary), and enjoy the cheese buns while they're still warm!
• To Make Ahead: You can prepare this bread dough after steps 1-3) a day ahead when chilling it in the fridge. Alternatively, the ready dough can be frozen, wrapped up tightly, for up to three months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before lightly kneading and continue the recipe from step 4.Once Baked: This cheesy pull apart bread is best enjoyed immediately, while the cheese inside is still melted. If you have any leftovers, these can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.To Freeze: Freeze the baked cheese buns, wrapped tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and foil for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.To Reheat: Simply warm in the microwave (though the buns will be softer) or in the oven at 200ºC/400ºF until warmed through (10-15 minutes)

CHEESY CHRISTMAS TREE PULL APART BREAD

Steps:

• To make the dough, whisk together the water, yeast and sugar. Allow to stand for 5 minutes until frothy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt and mix.
• Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add the egg and butter then knead for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl while kneading.
• If the dough is too sticky, add 2-3 tablespoons flour, one tbsp at a time and allow to knead until the dough is smooth.
• Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size.
• Once the dough has risen, break golf-ball sized pieces off and flatten in the palm of your hand. Add a cube of cheese then bring all the edges up, pinching them together then roll into balls.
• Place the dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or large sheet pan in the shape of a Christmas tree. Allow a little space in between the dough balls.
• Cover the Christmas tree bread loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise while the oven heats up.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Brush the risen bread with beaten egg and sprinkle with dried herbs and salt.
• Place in the oven and allow to bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and cooked through.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes then decorate with pomegranate rubies and rosemary (optional) before serving.