Baking bread at home has never looked (or tasted) so good.
This Cardamom & Pistachio Pull-Apart Bread by @cookim_mama Takes Home Baking up a Notch
Baking bread at home has never looked (or tasted) so good.
Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favourite home cooks. For this instalment, baking superstar @cookim_mama is sharing her heartwarming recipe for a cardamom and pistachio pull-apart bread.
Few foods bring us as much comfort as warm bread. The smell alone is magical and can set off our appetites. Kim of @cookim_mama is drawing in hundreds of thousands of followers on social media with her tasty baked goods, one of which is bread. From Japanese shokupan loaf with cacao to pesto sourdough, she's a one-stop shop for tasty carb recipes.
Here, we're sharing her recipe for a fluffy cardamom and pistachio pull-apart bread with orange syrup. It's not too sweet and perfectly filling, making for the perfect brunch food or afternoon treat. You'll also be treated to the divine smell of fresh bread wafting throughout your home. Trust us, you knead to try making this.
Ingredients
For the main dough
- 3 large eggs
- 90g honey
- 580g bread flour
- 8g kosher salt
- 90g butter (chilled)
- 180g whole milk
- 7g instant yeast
- 1 additional egg mixed with 1 tbsp of milk for the egg wash
For the filling
- 65g butter (softened)
- 130g brown sugar
- zest of half a large orange
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup pistachios (unshelled, crushed)
For the orange syrup
- 50g water
- 50g sugar
- 2 strips of orange peel
Method
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine all dough ingredients except for the butter and egg that will be used later for the egg wash.
- Mix on low-medium speed using the dough hook attachment until everything comes together, ~3-5mins.
- Add the butter one piece at a time. Continue mixing for 8-10mins until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour one tbsp at a time; it should be tacky but manageable.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it into a large bowl.
- Cover and let it proof in a warm environment (ideally around 27C) for 1.5-2hrs until it has roughly doubled in size.
- Punch the dough to deflate it.
- Divide it into 12 equal sections.
- Form each section into a ball by first folding its edges under to create a smooth outer skin on top. Then, on an un-floured surface, place the dough ball seam-side down and palm the dough with a slightly cupped hand.
- Using a little bit of pressure, start rolling the dough ball around in small circles under your palm. This will create surface tension and help seal the bottom seams.
- Cover and let them rest for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make your filling. In a small bowl, add the brown sugar and orange zest.
- Using your hands, massage the zest into the sugar.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the pistachios) and combine. You should end up with a spreadable paste.
- Doing one at a time, use a rolling pin and flatten the dough ball into a long oval ~20cm long.
- Cut slits lengthwise making sure to stop just shy of halfway. Do not cut past the end of the dough.
- Spread some of the filling onto the end with no slits and sprinkle on some crushed pistachios.
- Starting from the end with filling, roll it into a log. Once you reach the slits, stop, and pinch the two sides to seal the filling in. This helps prevent it from oozing out.
- Finish rolling and place it into a lightly greased 33x23cm baking tray. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cover and let rise for ~30-45mins or until noticeably puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 175C.
- Using the remaining egg combined with 1 tbsp of milk, gently brush the buns before baking.
- Bake for 22-25mins until the top is golden brown.
- While the bread is baking, prepare the orange syrup.
- Add sugar, water, and orange peel to a small pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Take the syrup off the heat, discard the orange peels and let it cool.
- When the bread is out of the oven, immediately brush the top with the syrup and garnish with additional chopped pistachios.
- Once it's cool enough to handle, transfer it to a wire rack to cool further.
- Enjoy while they are still warm.
