Celebrate the season with comforting aromas and irresistible flavours as Chef Poonam Bindra brings you five festive bread recipes that blend tradition, creativity, and wholesome goodness. Each recipe is designed to elevate your holiday table with homemade charm. Get ready to knead, bake, and savour the magic of festive baking!
5 Festive Bread Recipes
PANATTONE
PREFERMENT:
● 118g Flour
● 2g Yeast
● 102g milk
Mix it in a bowl and keep at room temperature for 2 hours or overnight in the chiller
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
● 347g flour
● 118g milk
● 80g sugar
● 88g egg yolk
● 6.5g yeast
● 6g salt
● 60g butter
● 1nos lemon zest
● 125g raisins
● 50g candied orange peel
● 37g candied lemon peel
● 221g preferment ( the recipe is above)
METHOD:
● In a stand mixer, add the preferment, flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, and mix them for a bit. Then add the milk and egg yolks, and let it form into a dough
● Once the dough is formed, add the butter. Mix it until it is incorporated. Then add in the raisins, lemon zest, candied orange peel, and lemon peel.
● Then put it in a bowl and let it proof. Once proofed, divide the dough and put it in a panettone liner and let it final proofing.
● Once it has proofed, bake it @180 for 30mins
STOLLEN
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
● 500g flour
● 50g sugar
● 25g Brown sugar
● 50g butter
● 4nos eggs
● 200g milk
● 25g milk powder
● 25g yeast
● 100g soaked fruits
● 20g gluten
METHOD:
- In a stand mixer, add the preferment, flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, and mix them briefly. Then add the milk and egg yolks, and let it form into a dough
- Add in the soaked fruits. and mix
- Keep it in a bowl and let it proof
- Remove and divide into 250g portions, then stuff each with 30g of marzipan.
- Let it final proof. Once it is proofed
- Bake it at 220 degrees Celsius for 15 mins
- Once baked, dunk it in clarified butter and coat with caster sugar
TO ASSEMBLE:
- 150g marzipan(store bought)
- 1kg clarified butter/ butter melted
- Castor sugar to coat
ROSE AND PISTACHIO BREAD
To make the dough:
● 240 ml warm whole milk
● 50 g white sugar
● 8 g dry active yeast
● 2 eggs
● 80 g butter, melted
● 2 tablespoons rosewater or add rose essence
● 12g salt
● 600 g all-purpose flour (+ 40 g for dusting)
● 120 ml fresh cream
METHOD:
● In a large bowl, place the warm milk and whisk in sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle the dry yeast all over the mixture. Wait 5 to 10 minutes until the dry yeast dissolves into the milk and starts to proof. (Sugar helps the yeast to proof faster). Whisk in eggs, melted butter, rosewater, and salt until smooth and
even. Gradually begin adding the flour. When the dough starts to come together, sprinkle a good amount of flour on your work surface and place the dough. Sprinkle more flour on top, and start working it – the
dough should be a bit
● Sticky but soft and even – and it is ready when it does not stick to your hands.
● Work the dough by hand for about 4-5 minutes.
● Place the dough into a greased bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, and let it proof in a very warm place for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half or until doubled in size.
FOR THE FILLING:
- 160 g butter
- 160 g brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons or (to taste) freshly ground cardamom
- 80-100 g ground pistachio (coarse)
WHEN THE DOUGH IS PROOFED (after 1hour):
- Roll it on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle. Roll it to 1.5-2 centimeters thick. Spread the softened butter all around the dough, then combine the brown sugar & ground cardamom, and sprinkle the mixture over the butter, then sprinkle the ground pistachios.
- Gently roll the dough into a log and cut. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls proof until doubled in size
- Bake the rolls at 200 degrees for 6-8 minutes
- When it is warm to the touch, you could pour a simple syrup (1 part water, 1 part sugar), pour the syrup, and serve (best served warm)
SLOVAK BOBALKI
INGREDIENTS
● 400g Refined flour
● 8 g Instant yeast (if it’s fresh yeast, then double it)
● 50 g Butter
● 30 g Sugar
● 40 g Milk powder
● 140 to 180 ml water
● 10 g salt (approx. 2 tsp )
● Honey As required
● Black poppy seeds as required
METHOD
- In a bowl, mix your dry ingredients except your butter and salt.
- Add water slowly until the dough forms, mix/knead it for 5 minutes, then add your butter and salt
- Knead your dough until it is smooth.
- Rest the dough for a minimum of 15-20 minutes, then shape your dough.
- Once shaped, let it proof again. Before baking, brush your rolls with milk wash or egg wash
- Bake at 180°c for 20 to 25 mins.
- Once baked, when warm, brush honey and sprinkle some poppy seeds onto it.
MINI CRANBERRY BRIOCHE
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
● Flour 500gms
● Gluten 12gms1
● Eggs 4 no.
● Butter 170 g
● Milk 160 ml
● Salt 12 g
● Yeast 15 g
● Sugar 60g
● Dried cranberries 90g
METHOD:
● Mix in all your dry ingredients in a stand mixer, adding in milk gradually to form a dough.
● Add in soft butter and let it mix till the dough combines itself and wraps itself around the dough hook
● Once you get a nice, smooth, shiny dough. Add the dried cranberries and
mix the dough. Place it on a lightly floured surface.
● Leave it to proof. Then, shape it into the desired shape (we will do a small loaf)
● reproof it, then brush it with some egg wash and bake it at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.
Author: Poonam Kauur Bindra is a culinary expert and recipe developer known for her innovative, flavour-rich creations. Through her workshops and digital content, she inspires home cooks with recipes that blend tradition, creativity, and modern simplicity.