Monday Morning Open Thread: 12/6/21
Braids and Other Fancy Shapes
As I mentioned on Instagram yesterday, though choreg is technically an Easter bread, Armenians make it pretty much whenever a special occasion comes around, including at Christmastime. (If you want to make the one pictured above, the recipe is located here.)
That choreg was made using a simple three-strand braid, something that anyone can pull off easily. I’m going to share a za’atar wreath bread soon that looks complicated to make, but is actually a snap.
What are some of your favorite fancy-pants ways to gussy up breads through shaping (easy or complicated)? Share links to online versions if you can find them!
—Andrew
I have very little experience with fancy shapes--I have a hard enough time with the plain ones! I wouldn't mind doing an epi but haven't actually tried it.
I am curious to know whether shapes are usually purely aesthetic, or whether they serve other functions.
I don’t do a lot of fancy shaping but I really enjoyed making the Swedish cardamom buns in a recent issue of Milk Street. I’ve been a fan of the ones from Lost Larson in Chicago and it was a lot of fun making a batch myself. The link at Milk Street isn’t accessible to non subscribers so here’s a free version that looks pretty similar. https://www.swedishfood.com/swedish-food-recipes-biscuits-cakes/509-cardamom-buns