Braided Pesto Bread

An easy and flavorful savory bread, featuring thick streaks of basil pesto sauce throughout.

So, I bit the bullet. I finally caved and pre-ordered both Frozen and Catching Fire. I figured, if I was going to drive to the store to get both anyway, why not just have them delivered. Right? If it weren’t for Prime shipping then I probably would have just gone to the store. But now I’ll be stalking the driveway waiting for that pretty brown truck to pull up. My luck, they’ll be late those days. Does anyone else get happy to see that truck? It’s like Christmas, only we know what’s arriving, or at least most of the time.

Tell me, have you seen either or both of the movies? If not, please do. They’re both seriously so good.

Also, an update on the doll situation. I got the Kristoff doll for lil man, in hopes they could each play with a character and not fight over them. Only, I’m positive the fights will still happen, it’s only a matter of time. But here’s the thing, I’m shocking myself, not literally of course. I still haven’t given them the dolls. They’re safely hidden in a box way out of their reach and almost out of mine. Out of sight out of mind! We’ll see how long that keeps working.

Now moving on to something totally delicious that you absolutely need to make immediately. No, really. This bread. This amazing bread.

A little back story. My oldest, she kind of follows my childhood footsteps in the sense that she is super particular about what she’ll eat, and thus what she won’t. When I was making this bread, she wanted nothing to do with it, even to the point of ewwwing at it. I easily bribed her into trying a bite, and that’s when it happened. She wanted more! She proclaimed her love for this bread practically. So given that my most choosey eater of the house loves this bread means that you absolutely have to make it. It’s that kind of good.

A tender and flavorful bread, with a basil-pesto filling, braided into a loaf and baked to perfection. Eat it as is, slathered with butter, warm or cold. Just make it, eat it and enjoy it!

This one is a keeper.

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Yield: 1: 10-inch loaf

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus rise time

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes active

Braided Pesto Bread

A flavorful savory bread with streaks of thick pesto throughout.

Ingredients:

Loaf:

• 1 1/4C water
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2C all purpose flour
• 1C white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Pesto:

• 2C packed fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2C Parmesan
• 3-4 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat water to 115°F. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Allow yeast to proof.
2. To the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with dough attachment, add flour and salt. With mixer running on low, slowly add yeast mixture. Increase speed to medium high, mixing until dough comes together in a clean ball. Shape dough into a smooth ball, transfer to a lightly greased large bowl. Cover and allow to rise for one hour or doubled in size.
3. Meanwhile, prepare pesto sauce in a food processor. Blend together basil and garlic. Add cheese, blending quickly. With lid on and food processor running on low, slowly drizzle in olive oil.
4. Roll out dough on a silicone counter mat into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. Spread pesto sauce out to 1/2-inch from edges. Starting at one of the shorter sides, tightly roll up dough, pinching edges as you go. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice completely through dough, end to end. Braid dough. Carefully transfer to a lightly greased 10-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Lightly cover and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 190°F.
6. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Troubleshooting dough tips: If dough is too sticky, add a spoonful more flour until ball forms. If dough is too dry, add a spoonful of olive oil at a time until a ball forms.

Baked by Rachel original

More recipes to try:
Pesto chicken lasagna rolls
Bacon-basil pesto and chicken pizza
Whole wheat buffalo chicken pizza
Whole wheat pizza dough
Amish potato rolls
Cheesy garlic pizza bread sticks
Garlic and herb pull apart bread
English muffin bread

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