Cherry Blossom Bread

Name: Cherry Blossom Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 18
Ingredients: 6-7 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter; 1 3/4 cup milk plus 2-3 tablespoons; 3 eggs, beaten; 1 lemon, zested and juiced; 1 egg; 1 jar [[Chukar® Sweet Cherry Preserves]]; 1 bag [[Chukar® Organic Tart Cherries]]; 2 cups confectioners’ sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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30 minutes

Serves 18

Ingredients

6-7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 3/4 cup milk plus 2-3 tablespoons
3 eggs, beaten
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 egg
1 jar Chukar® Sweet Cherry Preserves
1 bag Chukar® Organic Tart Cherries
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, yeast, white sugar, and salt. Set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter with milk until the mixture is warm, about 110-115 degrees F. Gradually whisk about 1/3 of the butter/milk mixture into the beaten eggs, return the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture. Stir the lemon zest into the liquid ingredients (set aside lemon juice for later).
Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir until thoroughly combined.
Add enough flour to form a soft dough; turn the dough out onto a floured surface, add ½ cup of Chukar® Organic Tart Cherries into the dough and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough into an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a round ball. On a floured surface, roll out balls into 12-inch circles.
Place a drinking glass, face down, into the center of the circle. Cut the dough with a knife into quarters from the edge of the dough to the rim of the glass. Cut each quarter into 5 narrow wedge-shaped strips (center of the dough remains uncut.) Remove the drinking glass. There should be 20 narrow wedge-shaped strips surrounding the uncut center of the dough.
Pick up two adjacent strips, and twist them together about 4 times; pinch the ends of the two pieces together at the top. Gently coil to form a rough flower shape. Arrange the coil in the middle of the circle, where the drinking glass was.
Pick up two more adjacent strips, and twist and pinch them as before; coil them into a rough round petal shape and arrange the new petal next to the center rosette. Repeat with remaining 16 strips, twisting and pinching them in twos, coiling and arranging them into 8 more petals around the center rosette. Finished bread has 9 petals surrounding the center round. Repeat steps with the second ball of dough to make two breads.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the shaped breads onto the prepared baking sheet, reshaping the petals if needed; cover with a clean kitchen towel, and place into a warm spot to rise until almost doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl, and brush over both the breads.
Bake until the breads have turned golden brown, about 35 minutes. Allow to cool.
Use your fingers or a spoon to gently deepen the indentations in the center of each petal. Alternating flavors, fill each with indent with about 1 teaspoon of Chukar® Sweet Cherry Preserves or lemon curd.
Mix the reserved lemon juice, confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl to form a glaze. Drizzle the glaze in thin lines all over both the breads. Allow glaze to set, about 5 minutes. To serve, pull the petals apart.