Sweet Saffron Bread with Cranberries | Book of Elsa

Sweet Saffron Bread with Cranberries

Ingredients:

Danish(ish) Pastry:

500g strong bread flour

10g salt

10g easy action yeast

80g caster sugar

120ml milk

90ml water

50g melted butter

2 eggs

For the pastry cream:

1 egg

30g caster sugar

15g plain flour

150ml milk or cream

Saffron strands (a fat pinch)

100g dried cranberries

1egg

Method:

For the pastry dough put all the ingredients in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix for 2 minutes on low, then 6 minutes on medium.

Scrape the bowl and put the dough on a lightly floured surface. Shape into ball then put into a clean flour dusted bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight.

For the pastry cream:

Put the milk or cream on to boil (do not let it boil though). In a separate bowl big enough to take everything later whisk the egg, sugar and flour until smooth. Add the hot milk or cream to the egg mix. Whisk until incorporated and put back in the pan. Now whisk like mad on a medium to high heat until very thick. Scrape into a clean bowl, add the saffron and mix again. Once cool cover with cling and refrigerate until needed.

Assembly:

Roll out half the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle (long side facing you) it should be about 1/2cm thick.

Spread half the pastry cream onto the rectangle leaving a 2cm gap on all sides. Now spread half the dried cranberries evenly on top of the cream.

Tightly roll the rectangle using the long side see photo.

Cut the now long sausage at 3cm intervals (about 12), put on a lined baking tray, loosely cover with cling and let rise at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven at 200⁰C, glaze the breads with egg wash. Bake for 15-20mins