The Fresh Loaf

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how to incorporate dried fruit into a braided loaf?

yy's picture
yy

how to incorporate dried fruit into a braided loaf?

Hi everyone. I'm planning to bake the bba Cranberry walnut celebration bread (minus the walnuts), and I'm looking to modify the procedure a bit. The original recipe has the dried cranberries mixed in with the dough, which I've found results in a bumpy, rough looking loaf. I'm looking to make a 5-strand braided loaf that looks like challah - nice and smooth, without any "stretch marks" or dried fruit sticking out on the surface.This has nothing to do with flavor, but I'm a stickler for presentation.

I'm thinking that to get this result, I should roll out the 5 balls of dough into rectangles, sprinkle the berries inside, and roll them up like jelly rolls to make the strands. Has anybody tried something similar? Does this result in a lumpy loaf, or one that is cavernous?

i appreciate any input.

flournwater's picture
flournwater

You may find the braids in your loaf to be somewhat cavernous but that depends on a lot more than whether or not you have fruit rolled up in each of the braids.  When I fill braided bread I usually use the method you've described, but I flatten each elongated dough braid and flatten it to get the filling lined up in the center then fold up each braid along its long axis, making certain that I've centered the fillings so they're hot close to the exterior of the braid.  Works just fine.

yy's picture
yy

Put the cranberries in the loaf jelly roll style and it worked out fine. I would have liked more cranberries, so next time I'll see how far I can take it before interfering with the integrity of the bread. No crumb shots because it was all eaten :-)

flournwater's picture
flournwater

"Jelly Roll" style.  Yep, that's a good way to describe it.  Beautifully executed yy.  Congrats ....