Montazzoli Braided Breakfast Bread (Tarrolle)

Makes 2 loaves (about 12 servings each)

This recipe makes two loaves of bread, but if you don't need both, you can freeze the other. Cool the loaf fully, then wrap rightly in plastic, and freeze before glazing. When you're ready to use it, let it defrost and bake at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes to refresh the loaf. Cool before glazing.

Ingredients

Bread

  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3 eggs, room temperature, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
  • 1 lb 11 1/2 oz/780 g bread flour (5 1/4 cups), plus more as needed
  • 3 1/2 oz/99 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 oz/14 g instant yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 1/2 oz/14 g anise seed (2 tbsp)
  • 4 teaspoons/12 g kosher salt
  • 4 oz/113 g unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in pats, soft (1/2 cup)
  • Vegetable oil as needed to coat plastic wrap and bowl

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Pinch kosher salt

Glaze

  • 1 1/2 oz/43 g milk (3 tablespoons), plus as needed to adjust glaze
  • 1 oz/28 g unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
  • 8 oz/227 g confectioners’ sugar (2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon/5 mL vanilla extract
  • Pinch kosher salt

Directions

  1. For the bread, whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and anise extract in a medium bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, anise seed, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle on medium-low speed for 10 seconds.
  2. Return the dough to the mixer, replacing the paddle with a dough hook, and knead on medium-low speed for 10 minutes, stopping occasionally to move the dough off the hook. When done, the dough should still be moist and sticky and stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  3. Grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn to coat it with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours, or place in the refrigerator 12 hours to 2 days. Press a finger into the dough center and, if an indentation remains, it is ready. A longer rise, either at this point or at step 4, will result in a better-developed flavor. The dough can be made 4 days in advance to this point or after being rolled out in step 3. Store wrapped in the refrigerator.
  4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough onto the work surface and gently fold down several times. Scale the dough into six 9 oz/255 g oblong pieces. Cover the dough pieces with oiled plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  5. Starting at the center of one dough piece, gently roll outward with your fingers on an unfloured surface into a 16-in rope. Repeat with all the dough. Lightly dust each rope with flour. Lay 3 ropes vertically parallel to each other.
  6. Start from the middle and braid toward you until the end is reached. Pinch the ends together. Turn the braid around and flip over. Repeat the braiding process and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the other 3 ropes to make a second loaf. Cover both with oiled plastic wrap, allowing enough give for the dough to rise.
  7. Let proof in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or place in the refrigerator for 12 hours to 2 days. If cold from the refrigerator, let come to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
  8. Position racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven and heat to 375°F. For the egg wash, whisk the egg, milk, and salt together. Brush both loaves with egg wash.
  9. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and have reached an internal temperature of 190°F, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time from front to back and top to bottom. If the bread gets too dark before it is fully baked, loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let set and cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
  10. For the glaze, put the milk and butter in a microwaveable bowl and warm in the microwave until the butter is melted, 30 seconds on high power. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the milk and add the vanilla and salt. Whisk until completely smooth. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
  11. Move the breads to a wire rack set on baking sheet. Evenly drizzle the glaze over the top of the hot breads. Cool the breads and allow the glaze to set for 30 minutes before slicing.

CIA FOODIES

Montazzoli Braided Breakfast Bread (Tarrolle)

Montazzoli Braided Breakfast Bread (Tarrolle)
Makes 2 loaves (about 12 servings each) This recipe makes two loaves of bread, but if you don't need both, you can freeze the other. Cool the loaf fully, then wrap rightly in plastic, and freeze before glazing. When you're ready to use it, let it defrost and bake at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes to refresh the loaf. Cool before glazing.

Ingredients

Bread
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3 eggs, room temperature, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
  • 1 lb 11 1/2 oz/780 g bread flour (5 1/4 cups), plus more as needed
  • 3 1/2 oz/99 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 oz/14 g instant yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 1/2 oz/14 g anise seed (2 tbsp)
  • 4 teaspoons/12 g kosher salt
  • 4 oz/113 g unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in pats, soft (1/2 cup)
  • Vegetable oil as needed to coat plastic wrap and bowl
Egg Wash
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Pinch kosher salt
Glaze
  • 1 1/2 oz/43 g milk (3 tablespoons), plus as needed to adjust glaze
  • 1 oz/28 g unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
  • 8 oz/227 g confectioners’ sugar (2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon/5 mL vanilla extract
  • Pinch kosher salt

Directions

  1. For the bread, whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and anise extract in a medium bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, anise seed, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle on medium-low speed for 10 seconds.
  2. Return the dough to the mixer, replacing the paddle with a dough hook, and knead on medium-low speed for 10 minutes, stopping occasionally to move the dough off the hook. When done, the dough should still be moist and sticky and stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  3. Grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn to coat it with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours, or place in the refrigerator 12 hours to 2 days. Press a finger into the dough center and, if an indentation remains, it is ready. A longer rise, either at this point or at step 4, will result in a better-developed flavor. The dough can be made 4 days in advance to this point or after being rolled out in step 3. Store wrapped in the refrigerator.
  4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough onto the work surface and gently fold down several times. Scale the dough into six 9 oz/255 g oblong pieces. Cover the dough pieces with oiled plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  5. Starting at the center of one dough piece, gently roll outward with your fingers on an unfloured surface into a 16-in rope. Repeat with all the dough. Lightly dust each rope with flour. Lay 3 ropes vertically parallel to each other.
  6. Start from the middle and braid toward you until the end is reached. Pinch the ends together. Turn the braid around and flip over. Repeat the braiding process and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the other 3 ropes to make a second loaf. Cover both with oiled plastic wrap, allowing enough give for the dough to rise.
  7. Let proof in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or place in the refrigerator for 12 hours to 2 days. If cold from the refrigerator, let come to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
  8. Position racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven and heat to 375°F. For the egg wash, whisk the egg, milk, and salt together. Brush both loaves with egg wash.
  9. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and have reached an internal temperature of 190°F, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time from front to back and top to bottom. If the bread gets too dark before it is fully baked, loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let set and cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
  10. For the glaze, put the milk and butter in a microwaveable bowl and warm in the microwave until the butter is melted, 30 seconds on high power. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the milk and add the vanilla and salt. Whisk until completely smooth. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
  11. Move the breads to a wire rack set on baking sheet. Evenly drizzle the glaze over the top of the hot breads. Cool the breads and allow the glaze to set for 30 minutes before slicing.

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