Pleated Bread Loaf

Slice of Kale and cottage cheese filled pleated bread

Bread making is both science and art;

Science in the sense that it involves a lot of chemistry 

including fermentation, temperature control and 

enzymetic activity. Art because crafting and baking 

artisanal handmade breads ensure quality, 

taste and satisfaction.

Here goes an artistic and extraordinary verstile recipe and instructions of a very popular bread loaf.  I regularly bake for home consumption as well as bake for friends and family. 

I bake these using either prefermented dough that requires a portion of the bread to be fermented for 16-20 hours. The method I am sharing here is straight dough that requires hardly 3-4 hours for you to fill your house with that aroma of freshly baked breads, and present  a professional looking and tasting braided loaf filled with all kind of amazing filling. 

Dried Fruits and Nuts Filled Pleated Bread

Ingredients for the Dough

250gms, plain white flour

250gms with wholewheat 

2 tsp bread improver (optional)

1 tbsp, instant dry yeast

2 oz/65ml, lukewarm water

2 of/65ml lukewarm milk

2 oz/55gm, castor sugar
½ tsp salt

1 egg for dough and 1 for glazing

2oz/55g, unsalted butter at room temperature

Optional

2 tsp kelonji/Nigella seeds for topping  savoury filled breads

2 tsp sesame seeds or poppy seeds for topping sweet filled breads 

Instructions for making dough

1-    Add all dry ingredients and sift together

2-    Mix beaten egg and butter

3-    Add water and milk

4-    Mix all ingredient with hand to a loose shaggy mass

5-    Leave it for 20-30 minutes for yeast action

6-    Now knead the for 6-8 minutes to a supple and elastic dough

7-    Leave it to prove in a warm place for  1 and ½ hours until double in size

8-    Punch down the dough for degassing and knead lightly

9-    Roll out on a floured surface into a 15x10 rectangle

10- Now transfer on a baking sheet

11- Spread one of the following filling

12- With a pizza wheel or a knife  cut 10-12 strips at angle or either side of the filling cutting just upto the filling

13- Now make bread folding the ends neatly on each other in criss cross manner until all stripes are folded

14- Cover with a plastic and leave to prove for 40-60 minutes or until double in size

15- Brush the top with a beaten egg and Nigella/kalongi if the bread is savoury or sesame/poppy seeds if it is sweet

 

16- Bake in a pre heated oven at 375F/200C gas mark

Bake for 20-25minutes at 200C

Brush the loaf with egg wash and top with nigella/kelonji

Fillings

Savoury Filling-1 Vegetable

450 gms baby spinach roughly chopped

1 large bell pepper/shimla mirch chopped

100gms spring onion chopped

¼ cup garlic chives

¼ cup fresh green coriander chopped

2-3 green chillies chopped finely

6-8 cloves garlic chopped

1tbsp olive oil

100gms cubed cottage cheese

red chillie flakes 1tsp

1stp salt

Saute vegetablelightly dont overcook

Cooking Instructions

-slightly heat the oil and sauté garlic

-when fragrant add all other vegetable and spice excluding coriander and chives

-saute the vegetable just for few minutes until wilted turn off the stove and leave it there uncovered

- add the chives coriander and cottage cheese while filling the dough

Savoury Filling -2 Chicken Mince

250gms minced chicken

100gms spring onion chopped

¼ cup Garlic chives

¼ cup fresh green coriander chopped

2-3 green chillies chopped finely

6-8 cloves garlic chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp roast cumin powder

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions

• Sauté ginger and garlic in the heated oil
• when fragrant add mince, salt and the spices chillies and cumin. 
•  Fry for 5 minutes on medium fire
•  Now add a cup of water and leave covered for cooking
•  When the water dries add garam masala and the fresh spring onions, herbs chives and coriander
• Saute lightly for 2-3 minutes and turn off the fire and leave covered

 

Chicken and herbs  filled pleated bread

 

Filling-3 Sweet nuts and fruits

250gms dried apricot

50gms currant

50gms currants

100gms chopped almonds

50gms chopped walnuts

50gms candied orange peel

¼ tsp grated nutmeg (jaifal)

2 tsp lemon zest (about 1 big lemon)

1cup any herbal or light brewed tea (use 1 tea bag and make tea without milk sugar)

2 tsp castor sugar

1 1/2oz/45gms melted unsalted butter

Cooking Instructions

-soak the dried apricots in warm tea

-leave for 20 minutes

-drain and chop

-add in it all the nuts and fruits

-now add sugar lemon zest and butter

-Mix with a wooden spoon in a thick mass

-Your filling is ready to fill in the dough now 

Pleated Bread Loaf filled with spinach and kale

Pleated bread loaf filled with chicken and herbs

Pleated Bread loaf with sweet filling

Note: Please feel free to ask me questions related to this bread here.