Blueberry Almond Christmas Wreath Recipe

Christmas bread wreath recipe made with blueberry and almond cinnamon rolls. Fun to assemble and a real Christmas showstopper!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Vegan

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Resting Time 2

Total Time 2 50

Servings people

Calories 199

Author Anthea

Ingredients

Wreath dough

2 ½ - 3 cups (440g) all-purpose plain flour or bread flour (start with less flour and add more if needed)
¾ cup (165g) dairy-free milk warm
½ cup (115g) vegan butter room temperature
3 tablespoons (40g) granulated sugar or coconut sugar
1 tablespoon (9g) instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt if you're not using salted butter

Wreath filling

1 ½ cup (225g) fresh or frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons cornstarch / corn flour
Sweetener if desired
Dash of vanilla extract optional

To decorate

¼ cup (20g) flaked almonds
3 tablespoons berry jam

Instructions

To make the dough:

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl or stand mixer and mix until it comes together. Knead the mixture until it forms a smooth and stretchy dough. It should be a tacky but shouldn't stick to the kneading surface. Add a little more milk if the dough is too dry or a little more flour if the dough is sticky.
Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a tea towel. Set aside in a warm spot for at least 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

To prepare the wreath filling:

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and mash the blueberries with a fork. Bring the mixture to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Use a stick blender to blend the blueberries. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the wreath:

Lightly dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the dough into a rectangular shape approximately 1 cm (0.4 inch) and 45 x 25 cm (17 x 10 inch) large.
Spread all of the cooled blueberry puree onto the dough about 2 cm (1 inch) away from the edge. Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log shape.
Roll the log onto a large piece of baking paper. Roughly bring the two ends of the dough together.
Use a sharp pair of scissors, to cut off the ends. Use the scissors to cut diagonally into the dough creating a pointed 'roll'. When you cut into the dough, make sure you leave a little dough in tact at the bottom so the wreath can keep its shape. Cut one roll and move it to the left. Cut another roll and move it to the right. Repeat for the remainder of the wreath.
Arrange the end rolls together to continue the pattern. Reshape any parts of the wreath if needed. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for at least 1 hour or until the dough is puffy again. The wreath should increase in size by around 20%.

Baking the wreath:

When the wreath is puffy again, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Brush the jam on the wreath and sprinkle almonds on top.
Bake the wreath for around 20 minutes or until the outside is slightly golden brown. The baking time will depend on the thickness of your wreath. If you insert a skewer into the wreath, there should be no wet dough on it. Allow the wreath to cool on the baking tray.
The wreath is best eaten the day it is baked. Alternatively, store it in airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days for in the fridge for 5 days. When serving the leftovers, warm up the rolls before eating.

Notes

*Instant yeast doesn't need to be 'activated' or 'bloomed' beforehand. However, if you use another type of yeast, combine it with warm milk and a pinch of sugar beforehand. Wait until it bubbles then use it in the recipe.

Nutrition