Bunch O' Bread
Submitted by spaman
A showstopper whole wheat yeast bread shaped like a cluster of grapes, spiced with cardamom and nutmeg, sweetened with maple syrup and orange liqueur, then brushed with honey butter.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
160 minThis bread is pure edible art.
Whole wheat dough gets a warm lift from cardamom, nutmeg, maple syrup, and a splash of orange liqueur before being shaped into individual balls that cluster together like a bunch of grapes, complete with hand-formed vine leaves on top.
Poppy seeds add crunch to the golden crust, while a honey butter glaze gives each pull-apart piece a sticky, fragrant finish.
It’s the kind of centerpiece that makes people gasp before they tear into it.
Chef Tips
- Keep the liquid below 100F when adding to the yeast. Too hot and you’ll kill it, too cool and nothing happens.
- Don’t skip the full 10 minutes of kneading. Whole wheat flour needs extra work to develop enough gluten for a soft crumb.
- Brush the honey butter into the slashes on the leaves right before baking so it caramelizes without burning.
- Let the shaped dough rise in a draft-free spot. A turned-off oven with the light on works great.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine ½ of flour with yeast, cardamom and nutmeg.
Heat juice, maple syrup, and butter to body temperature; check it with a finger to make sure it is not above 100 degrees; add to yeast mixture.
Stir in liqueur. Beat at low speed until mixed and then at high speed while adding as much of remaining flour as possible.
Turn onto floured work surface and knead in all remaining flour.
Knead at least 10 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl; turn so top is oiled also.
Let rise 1 hour. Punch down and let rest 10 minutes.
Remove ¼ of dough; set aside.
Shape remaining dough into 1 inch balls.
Arrange on oiled cookie sheet in shape of a bunch of grapes.
Brush with egg white and sprinkle on poppy seeds.
With remaining dough form grape vine and leaves; attach to grapes at the top.
Brush leaves and stem with egg white.
Let rise in warm place ½ hour. Melt butter and honey together; slash grape leaves and brush slashes with this.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) 20 to 30 minutes or until bread makes thunking sound when tapped with knuckle.
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