Pull Apart Christmas Tree Bread Appetizer Recipe

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil reduces saturated fat while adding flavor.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds a cheesy flavor.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: low-fat mozzarella

💰Cheaper: cheddar cheese

Cheddar is often less expensive and still melts well.

bread dough

🥗Healthier: whole wheat dough

💰Cheaper: store-bought dough

Whole wheat adds fiber without compromising texture.

Add warm milk, melted butter, sugar, instant yeast, flour, and salt to a large mixing bowl.

Use a wooden spoon to combine everything to form a shaggy mass of dough.

Tip the dough onto your working surface and start kneading.

To knead, push the dough away from you, fold it over, and rotate it 90 degrees, repeating until you have a bouncy, soft dough.

If kneading is difficult, use the slap and fold technique: lift the dough, slap it on the work surface, and fold it over.

After 15 minutes of kneading, the dough should be much improved; it may take 20 to 25 minutes to achieve a soft, pliable dough.

Perform the windowpane test to check the dough's readiness.

Grease the bowl used for kneading, place the dough back in, and coat it with oil to prevent drying out.

Cover with cling wrap and a towel, allowing for the first proofing for 2 hours.

After proofing, punch down the dough to release gases and transfer it to the work surface.

Divide the dough into four equal parts, keeping the rest covered to prevent drying.

Roll each part into a rectangle of 10 by 12 inches, leaving a 4-inch margin on each side.

Cut the dough to form a tree trunk and triangle shape for the tree, using the 5-inch mark as a center guide.

Fill the triangle with pesto and place the second rolled-out dough on top.

Repeat the layering process until you have four layers of dough and three layers of filling.

Make cuts 1 centimeter apart on each side of the tree, twisting each piece to form a twisted Christmas tree shape.

Allow for second proofing for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Cut out two star shapes from the leftover dough, sandwiching a layer of pesto in between, and place this at the tip of the tree before proofing.

After proofing, brush the bread with milk and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until slightly golden brown.

Optionally, brush the baked bread with a mixture of olive oil and pesto for a softer crust and appealing look.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens