Tricolor Flower Bread

This is a very pretty flower shaped savory bread.

It is relatively simple and makes a superb bread to show off your baking talents. I was very much appreciated last year at the mid-summer festival though it being my first try and ever since this bread has been quite a favorite of mine.

It can be served as a snack by itself or at breakfasts or with supper.

The twisting method was inspired by https://www.instructables.com/id/Star-shaped-Brioch... Thank you very much lindarose for the wonderful instructions!

I however had savory on mind so that it could be served anytime and wanted it to look a colorful. So I substituted brioche dough with a bread dough and Nutella with 2 Pestos in different colors.

So let us look into the making of this pretty flower bread

500gm All purpose flower

1 sachet Instant dry yeast

1/2 cup warm milk(approximately)

1tsp butter( shortening or any other substitute)

1/4 tsp sugar

1tsp salt

1/4tsp oregano or thyme, finely chopped

2 PESTO

Green pesto( basil/garlic pesto)

Red pesto(pesto rosso)

1Tbs grated cheese( of your choice)

1/4tsp black sesame seeds or caraway seeds( optional)

In a large mixing bowl heap in the flour. Add to this the instant yeast, blob butter sugar and salt. Pour in the warm milk and using your hands mix the dough. Knead the dough well till it forms a firm non sticky ball. If needed add some more milk, little by little.

Once the dough is done set aside for 30 mins in a warm place, covered by a moist cloth till it rises.

After 30 mins remove the dough ball, it has almost doubled its size and become very fluffy. Punch out the air.

Roll the dough with your hands to a thick sausage.

With a sharp knife cut the dough into 4 equal portions.

Roll each portion into a little ball.

Using a rolling pin and flouring the working platform roll out each ball into a circle.It doesn't matter if you do not get it a perfect circle, we will shape it later.

An approximate thickness of 1cm is desired.

Place all the 4 circular sheets aside on a parchment paper.

Work the bread on the baking tray spread out with a non sticky baking sheet for easier handling.

Place the largest circle flat on the tray.

With a spoon place 2-3 blobs of red pesto on the circular dough.(tip: try not to leave back the oil as much as possible)

Spread out the pesto evenly.

Now carefully place the second dough sheet over the first one.

Place 2-3 blobs of green pesto over the 2nd sheet and spread evenly.

Do the same using the 3rd sheet and spreading it with red pesto.

Finally cover it with the 4th sheet.

Cut out any uneven edges along the circumference.

Place a small circular object(a glass or a small vitamin bottle) at the center of the layered sheets. Press in gently as to mark this circle at the center. Remove the object

With a sharp knife cut the dough into 4 lines(12/3/6/9 o'clock position- starting from this center circle. (Leave out the center portion) See picture for clarity.

Now cut with 4 lines in the middle of each quarter to get 8 parts.

Cut each of the 8 parts halving them to 16 parts.

Pick up 2 adjecent lower edges. Twist them over to get one turn. Turn the same 2 strips over again to get 2 twists in the flaps.

Tuck in the open edges, rounding them off slightly so as to resemble petals.

Repeat this process with next pair and then with the next and so on till all the strips are twisted.

The final result looks like a pretty blooming flower.

At the center of the flower sprinkle some shredded cheese and a few seeds.

Let the whole prepared bread stand for another 20 mins so that it rises again.

In a preheated oven bake the bread at 180C for around 15-25 mins.

The bread is done when the crust looks slightly golden.

Remove from the oven and let it cool on the rack.

There you go the prettiest of all breads stands before you blooming like a sunflower.

Wonderful to look at and delicious as can be.