{BBD} Twisted Orange Nut Bread

For this month’s bread baking day, we were asked by the host to help celebrate her birthday! I thought several times throughout the month about what I thought party bread looked like. I could not put the cakes, cupcakes and frosting out of my mind to allow yeast and flour to enter for even a moment! And please don’t think I arrive just today because I wanted to make a stunning last minute entrance.

Truthfully, about two weeks ago, I packed up all my belongings and moved again. I am not sure how many have been following along through my journey over the the last year, or maybe you were around even before that? After moving from Peru to the US last February, I have moved myself and my things around 11 times. In one year. No joke. Mind you, I have not had much to move each time, but that sure makes for an unsettling feeling. Two weeks ago, I moved to a place I can stay for awhile. What a relief. So hopefully my life and my kitchen will begin to have some more continuity and the passion for flavor will come alive once again.

All that to say, that I hope I can still get into the party – even at the last hour! This bread, although somewhat confusing sounding, was one of the most beautiful loaves I have made. I have rolled things up in bread dough. And I have braided loaves many times. But I have never. ever. done anything. quite. like. this. Gorgeous. Make one you can drool over too!

Twisted Orange Nut Bread

Dough
3/4 cup of whole milk
1/3 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of butter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 packet of active dry yeast
1/4 cup of lukewarm water
2 eggs
4 1/4 cups of flour, plus more for dusting, divided

Filling
3/4 cup of orange marmalade
3/4 cup of toasted chopped walnuts

Topping
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon of sugar

1. In a small saucepan, combine milk, sugar, butter and salt. Heat over medium high until butter melts. Cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the lukewarm water. Stir until dissolved. Add the milk mixture along with eggs and 1 ¼ cups of flour. Mix at medium-low speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Add remaining flour, one cup at a time to form dough.

3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

4. Punch dough down. Let rest for 15 minutes.

5. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll out into a 14” square. Brush with marmalade, leaving a 1” border all the way around. Sprinkle with walnuts. Roll up jelly-roll style, pinching seams closed. Carefully transfer roll to a 15”x10” baking sheet, coated with cooking spray. Cut roll in half lengthwise. Turn so cut sides face up and the two halves are side by side. Starting in the middle, begin to cross the halves back & forth, keeping the cut sides up as much as possible. Pinch ends together and tuck under to seal. Repeat with other side of roll, also pinching and tuck the end. Cover with plastic wrap (which has had the underside coated with cooking spray) and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush beaten egg over the top of the bread, then sprinkle it with sugar. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Twisted Orange Nut Bread is being submitted to Bread Baking Day #26 – Baking Bread for a Birthday Party was started by Zorra at 1x umrühren bitte and this month is being hosted by Jamie at Life’s A Feast.