During Whether you love food, or love to bake, or just someone who loves having fun in the kitchen, there is no doubt that Christmas time is something to look forward to when it comes to baking. One glance in any grocery store, and it’s easy to see why. During holidays there is no shortage to bake from trays upon trays of cookies and singles, pies, cakes, and cupcakes that are covered in Christmas colours and sprinkles.
The smell of fresh, hot bread baking in the oven is music to any baker’s ears. From shortbread to challah, from sweet brioche to classic baguettes. There are more varieties of bread out there than you could imagine! Christmas bread is often more decorative and has celebratory qualities. Such as the Bulgarian Christmas Bread that symbolizes prosperity for the upcoming year. Other classic Christmas bread from around the World include Panettone or Stollen, filled with fruits and nuts.
Let’s see some of the Christmas Breads around the World:
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Stollen Bread :
Stollen bread has been a German holiday tradition for centuries. Its origins date to 13th century Germany, and it is now popular around the World. A sweet bread with dried fruits and candied orange and citron zests. Stollen get its rectangular shape from three baking pans and its gently spiced aroma. The rich flavour from rum-soaked dried fruit and myriad spices: cinnamon, clove, cardamom, anise seed, ginger, nutmeg, lemon peel and orange peel. Let the flavours mingle for several days before slicing thinly to serve warm or at room temperature as a dessert or midmorning.
For best results, allow Stollen Bread dough to rise at room temperature for 4 hours. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for approximately 35 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Make-ahead tip: Stollen keeps well on the countertop for 3 days. Rewarm stollen on a baking sheet in a 250°F oven for 12-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
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Krendel Christmas Bread:
Try this tasty Krendel Christmas Bread recipe! It’s an important Russian tradition to have this during the holiday season. Ideally, you want to allow plenty of time for the dough to rise, so it has a nice, soft texture with a delicious filling of pears, apples, cherries, honey and nuts. If your kitchen is cool, you may need more time for it to properly rise.
A rich yeast dough is the foundation of the Krendel tradition, and the recipe has been passed on from generations and made with care in every detail. In this Yeast Dough recipe collection, you get four varieties: two elaborate versions filled with pears, nuts and fruits. A soft version filled with plums, and the basics for a vanilla cream-filled Krendel.
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Swedish Coffee Bread :
Most bakers know Swedish coffee bread as cardamom bread. For this loaf, add sugar and cinnamon and top it with sliced almonds and raisins. As much as we love these classic elements, we also think you can feel free to experiment and add your touches. For example, try replacing the almonds with walnuts. Substitute with chopped dried apricots or raisins for the raisins and sliced almonds.
It’s not just for the Christmas season to bake and eat some delicious Swedish coffee bread. We can eat it at any time of the year! Whether you use it as a mid-morning or afternoon snack, or if you enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea in the evening, there are so many ways to enjoy this bread.
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Panettone :
The Champagne of Italian bread, Panettone, is a super-sweet and buttery celebration of the holiday season. Typically filled with candied fruits and topped with vanilla or rum-flavoured icing, it makes a wonderful dessert or afternoon treat. Light, fluffy and moist, this traditional Italian fruit- or chocolate-filled Panettone is best served when soft and warm with a cup of espresso. It is an excellent choice to serve at Christmas breakfast with fresh fruit and rum fragrance.
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Chai-Spiced Tea Loaves :
Have a potluck or tea party on your hands? Chai-Spiced Tea Loaves are a delicious, not to mention beautiful, way to bring something homemade to the table. These loaves are made from a flour blend that includes whole-wheat flour, which gives them a hearty texture and earthy flavour. They’re easy to make ahead and freeze for up to three months, making them perfect for giving as a hostess gift during the holiday season.
Chai is a blend of warming spices, and this bread includes several of them, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves. The bread gets its sweetness from coconut sugar and maple syrup. Light and sweet, these loaves can be alternately baked as mini-cakes and served with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel. Perfect for serving at a casual brunch, these loaves make great gifts.
The best way to enjoy Christmas is to bake bread ahead and enjoy it with family and friends. This year at our Brook Pub in Cambridge, we have brought up a new Christmas festive menu with a lot to offer our customers. New recipes, main course, and yes, of course, yummy desserts. The holiday season to serve the festive food starts from November 25th till December 30th (excluding Christmas Day & Boxing Day) with 2 courses only £20.95 and 3 courses £23.95. Rules include a non-refundable deposit of £15 / 15€ to secure a table for 10 or more guests. One week before your reservation date, a pre-order may be required for parties of 10 or more.
This Christmas, get your loved ones to enjoy some of the best drinks and Christmas food.