Festive Almond Loaf for the Holidays

Holiday gift

If you’re giving this braided sweet bread as a gift, wrap it once it has cooled to help retain moisture. Clearly label that it can be frozen and reheated or toasted later. Including a simple serving suggestion—such as warming slices briefly in the oven or using leftover slices in a bread pudding—makes the gift even more appreciated.

Of course, it’s tempting to sample a warm slice before packaging it, and that is perfectly acceptable.

Variations

• Shape: Make a braided wreath for a showstopping centerpiece, or form one large straight braid or two medium braids. Two medium braids are easy and elegant.
• Topping: Substitute other nuts such as hazelnuts or pistachios. If you don’t have pearl sugar, granulated sugar works in a pinch.
• Flavorings: Almost any extract or ground spice can be used—orange or tangerine zest pairs especially well with almond extract.
• Add-ins: Fold dried cranberries, raisins, or about ½ cup chocolate chips into the dough for extra flavor and texture.

Make a rectangle

Reserve a small piece of dough to use later to cover the pinched seam. On a lightly floured surface, pat the remaining dough into a rectangle roughly 17 by 9 inches. A longer rectangle yields a larger wreath.

Make the braid

Slice the rectangle into three long ropes lengthwise. Press the three ropes together at one end and braid them, keeping the ropes slightly free so they don’t stick to the surface.

Make a wreath

Bring the braid’s ends together and pinch to seal, forming a ring. Use the reserved dough piece to neatly cover the pinched seam if desired.

Crunchy topping

Pearl sugar has a festive look, so for the topping I combine coarse sugar with ground and sliced almonds and a pinch of cinnamon. The topping crisps as the loaf bakes, adding a lovely contrast to the soft crumb.

If you only have sliced almonds, you can skip processing and simply mix the ingredients in a bowl.

Note: This content is adapted from a published bread baking source and has been adjusted for clarity and accessibility.

For the bread:

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from about 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, or a mix of cake and bread flour as preferred
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup water
• 5 tablespoons sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)
• 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, at room temperature

For the crunchy topping:

• ¼ cup coarse raw sugar
• ¼ cup whole almonds (about 40g)
• ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for the glaze

For the bread:

• Combine 2 cups cake flour (or part of the flour called for), yeast, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if kneading by hand.
• Warm the milk, cream, water, and oil to lukewarm (about 120°F / warm to the touch, not hot). Add these liquids to the flour mixture and stir briefly.
• Add the eggs and mix a little with a spoon, then add salt, almond extract, and vanilla. Mix until the mixture is creamy.
• Attach the dough hook and add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time. Knead for 4–5 minutes, adding a tablespoon or two more flour if the dough seems too wet. The dough may release the bowl’s sides but still look slightly shaggy at first—that is okay.
• If kneading by hand, mix until thick, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5–7 minutes until the dough is slightly sticky but elastic.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1½–2 hours depending on room temperature. Reserve a small piece of dough to use later to cover the pinched seam.
• On a lightly floured counter, flatten the dough into a rectangle about 17×9 inches and cut into three even ropes. Pinch one end together and braid. Transfer the braid to a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet, join the ends to form a ring, and pin the seam closed. Cover with a towel and let rise until nearly doubled, about 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven 20 minutes before baking to 350°F (180°C).

For the crunchy topping:

• While the braid finishes proofing, prepare the topping: pulse coarse sugar, whole almonds, and cinnamon in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a bowl and fold in sliced almonds.
• Whisk the egg with the tablespoon of water and gently brush the top of the dough, taking care not to let too much egg wash pool into the braid’s crevices.
• Sprinkle the almond and sugar topping evenly over the glazed dough.
• Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven to 325°F and bake an additional 10 minutes, until the braid is golden and the topping is crunchy.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool. The braid can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
• Store covered at room temperature for a few days or freeze well wrapped for longer storage.

Flour: All-purpose flour works well; you may also use a combination of cake and bread flours for a lighter crumb.

Liquid: The recipe uses cream with milk for richness. You may substitute full-fat milk and additional water if you prefer.

Topping: If only using sliced almonds, simply mix the topping ingredients in a bowl rather than processing. Other nuts, like hazelnuts or pistachios, work well too. If pearl sugar is unavailable, granulated sugar can be used though the texture will be slightly different.

Shape: A braided wreath is festive, but a straight braid or two smaller braids are great alternatives.

Flavorings and add-ins: You can add extracts, spices, citrus zest, dried fruits, or up to about ½ cup chocolate chips to the dough to vary the flavor.