Welsh Saffron Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and the temperature has reached 100 degrees F (38 degrees C). Crumble the yeast into a bowl, then pour in the warm milk. Stir well until the yeast dissolves.
• Stir in the quark, saffron, sugar, salt, and 7 cups of the flour. Mix the dough in the bowl until it becomes shiny and silky, adding more flour as needed until it begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Cover, and let rise for 40 minutes.
• Prepare 2 or 3 baking sheets by covering each with a sheet of parchment paper. Lightly flour a work surface, punch down the dough, then divide into 35 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, 5 to 6 inches long. With the rope lying flat on the work surface, roll each end towards the center, in opposite directions, creating a curled S-shape. Place the buns on the prepared baking sheets, and garnish with raisins if desired. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes while you preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Gently brush each bun with beaten egg, then bake in the oven until puffed and golden, 5 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Combine the vinegar and the milk. Let stand for at least 15 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
• Add the vinegar mixture, brown sugar, egg, butter, salt, molasses, bread flour, baking soda, caraway seeds and yeast in the order directed by your bread machine's manufacturer.
• Set machine to basic cycle (fruit bread, white bread, etc depending on your bread machine), medium crust setting. Add the raisins when indicated to by your bread machine's manufacturer.
• Alternately this bread can be mixed in the bread machine and then bake in the oven. Set bread machine to dough setting. Remove dough, shape into a loaf, cover and let rise in a warm place, until just under doubled in size. This will take about 1 hour. Bake the bread in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 to 45 minutes. Bread will golden brown and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour 2 cups boiling water on dried currants and soak for 15 minutes, then drain. Pour remaining water over saffron and steep until cool.
• Cream butter and sugar until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, blending after each. Add lemon zest and juice.
• Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and add to the sugar-butter mixture, alternately with the saffron water, beating until just blended. Stir in raisins and drained currants. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 40 - 50 minutes until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Tip out onto a rack to cool.

Steps:

• Steep the saffron in the hot water overnight. Make sure you use a container that is covered to keep the heat inside. This step is crucial to getting the taste and flavor you want in the bread.
• The next morning, Sift the flour into a very large bowl add the sugar then cut in the butter and crisco using a pastry cutter.
• Add the currants, raisins, orange peel, lemon rind, nutmeg, salt and saffron water.
• Mix together, then sprinkle the yeast on the top of the mixture and add the lukewarm water.
• Knead the bread mixture until everything is combined. The bread should be a light orange/dark yellow in color.
• Then place the bread in a warm location, covered. And allow to rise until doubled in size.
• Once doubled, knead the bread again, and allow to rise until doubled one more time.
• Cut the dough into 6 loaves.
• Knead each dough ball and then place the loaves into greased loaf pans.
• Cover the pans and allow to rise until about level with the top of the pans.
• Bake the loaves at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Steps:

• Place the egg in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes in order to safely reach room temperature.
• Using a mortar and pestle grind the saffron threads into fine powder.
• Place the ingredients into the bread machine in order given.
• Turn bread machine to white bread cycle and press start.
• When bread is done, remove from machine and place on wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• Set the oven at 250°F.
• Put the saffron in a cup and put it in the oven.
• After 5 minutes, pour 1/4 cup of very hot water over it.
• Let it steep for 20 minutes while you get on with the rest of the preparation.
• Put the raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water.
• Set aside.
• Mix the yeast with the milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and leave for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm but not hot spot.
• Combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Mix in the yeast mixture and then the butter.
• When everything is thoroughly combined, add the saffron mixture.
• Drain the raisins and add them.
• Mix and knead thoroughly until the dough is soft but not sticky.
• Roll it into a ball and put it in a greased bowl.
• Cover with a plastic bag and let it rise in a draft-free spot until it has doubled in bulk. This takes about 2 hours.
• Knock the dough down by thumping it firmly several times.
• Knead it for 2 or 3 minutes.
• To make a wreath shape, divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each into a rope about 18 inches long.
• Braid the 3 ropes together and twist into a circle. (Or make hollows in the wreath so that you can stick candles in them after baking.).
• Tuck the ends underneath.
• Place on a greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let rise in a draft-free spot for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
• During the last 10 minutes of rising time, set the oven at 400°F
• Brush the bread with the egg wash.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the wreath is golden brown and sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom.