Description
Celebrate the festive season with this delightful Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread, featuring a soft, flavorful dough filled with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, seasoned with oregano. Perfect as a savory centerpiece or a tasty appetizer, this bread combines the joy of baking with holiday creativity.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Filling Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dough: Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir until the ingredients start to come together to form a dough.
- Knead Dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, cover it with a clean cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to warm up while the dough rises.
- Roll and Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Roll it out into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and dried oregano over the dough. Then, carefully fold and shape the dough into a Christmas tree form.
- Second Rise: Place the shaped dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased. Cover and allow it to rise again for 30 minutes to achieve a light and fluffy texture.
- Bake: Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the cheese filling is bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack before slicing and serving warm.
Notes
- Ensure the water for activating yeast is warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- Kneading is key for good gluten development, resulting in a soft bread.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle a bit of garlic powder or fresh herbs along with the cheese.
- Allow the bread to cool slightly to let the cheese set before slicing to avoid oozing.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat before serving.
