SANTA CLAUS BREAD - CHRISTMAS SPL

I had always wished to do creative baking.  Yes, my recent crush, being on fondant type designer cakes.  Though the difficult part in such bakes is to find right ingredients within your reach or within your budget :(  Nevertheless the creative part in breads sparked me, when I visited this santa claus bread in Vicky's post.  Thanks to her and here I am posting an similar version :) Atlast, this one makes me pat my own back, and yes ' I AM HAPPYYY' :) :)

 

Ingredients are quite simpler, the trick lies in shaping the dough.  Here, I have explained with step-by-step pics.  So, don't worry!!!  Just surprise your loved ones, for upcoming Christmas.

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Rising time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Baking time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients required

• 3 cups maida
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 11/2 tbspn active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbspn butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 raisins
• Pinch of red food colour

Method

In a 1/4 cup warm water, stir in yeast.  If your yeast is refrigerated, take them an hour before use, so that yeast can dissolve easily.  (This I didn't realize, I used to stare for undissolved yeast @ many bakes, without realizing that they are directly used from refrigerator :P ) Keep this aside.

 

Alternatively, in a pan, add butter, milk and sugar.  Bring this to heat till butter and sugar dissolves.  Keep this aside.

 

 

 

In a clean vessel,  add flour.  Stir in salt and mix well.  Add yeast slurry and mix well.  Take one egg (reserve another egg for glaze) and beat well.  Pour this beaten egg into the flour as well.  Mix through all ingredients and they now are crumbled.   

 

 

Also, finally add in butter-milk-sugar combo and sprinkling water as per needed stir them to bring along as an dough.  Transfer this onto your kitchen counter, dusting with flour and kneading to soft, elastic dough.

 

 

 

 

DONE!!

 

Transfer this to clean, greased vessel, cover and let it rise for an hour. 

 

After an hour, it looks like this.

 

Shape them into two balls.  One slightly bigger (A) , another (B)

 

Take A, roll them out into oval shape like below.

 

Now, divide B into two.  One part of B, now forms the beard.  Roll them out into semi-circle.(otherwise roll entire B into circle, cut into two, proceed with one )

 

Using very sharp knife, cut this semi-circle into tiny segments starting slightly below from diameter.

 

All cutting done.

 

Place these cuttings onto chin portion of  the oval, rolled A (which, by now has transferred to parchment paper layered baking tray)

 

Slightly twist these cuttings using your hand, to give an authentic 'beard look'

 

To the top portion of A, bend it slightly towards bottom. This becomes cap. 

 

Other part of B (Since B was divided to two, remember?) is now broken and is formed into rest of parts like hat pom pom, eyes, nose, beard etc

 

For eyes, I inserted raisin onto eyeballs.  Now leave this aside for 20 minutes, pre-heat oven to 180 degree Celsius

 

 

 And for the egg, separate egg white from yolk.  To the yolk, add red colour, mix it very well.

 

After second proofing, brush this over hat, nose and also over cheeks.

 

To the egg white, brush them over remaining parts of face.

 

Cover them loosely over aluminium foil. 

 

Bake this for fifteen minutes.  Uncover and bake for ten more minutes or till done.  Cool them on wire rack.

 

Santa Claus is now readyyyyyyy ......  He is beaming with joy, wonder what gifts he bought you ??  :) :)

 

 

 

HAPPY BAKING :)  :)