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.