The savory Christmas tree is a recipe I created specifically for the Christmas season and can be used as a bread substitute.
These are small balls of leavened dough similar to brioche and flavored, here you can obviously make it to your taste, I only put parsley on top, but you can get creative.
If you like, you can also fill the balls with cooked ham, or spice them with minced garlic, depending on your taste.
I used a cardboard mold for my savory tree, but rigid silicone or steel molds are also available on the market.
A simple recipe, but one that stands out at the table, and even if we don’t have guests, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t treat ourselves well.
During the Christmas period, even if it’s just the four of us, and it has happened, I set the table nicely, even if you don’t have to impress anyone, but I have always thought that we should do things for ourselves, not just when guests are around.
If you make any of my recipes, send me the photos and I will publish them on my page with your name.
All that’s left is to follow the recipe and make your savory Christmas tree.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 10 balls
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter, Christmas
Ingredients for making the Savory Christmas Tree
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 oz fresh yeast
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- to taste dried parsley
Tools
- 1 Mold Christmas tree mold
Preparation of the Savory Christmas Tree
I prepared the dough with the stand mixer, but if you don’t have one, you can easily do it by hand.
In the mixer, I added the warm milk and dissolved the yeast, then added 1 1/2 cups of flour and let it work for a couple of minutes.
Then add the water, oil, salt, and remaining flour, letting it mix well for a few minutes until the ingredients are well incorporated and you obtain a smooth, soft, and non-sticky dough.
Take the dough ball and let it rise for at least 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Once risen, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and make 10 balls of about 3 oz each and place them in the tree-shaped mold.
My mold is cardboard, so I didn’t need to grease it, but if yours is different, you’ll need to prepare accordingly.
Let it rise again for at least another hour, then brush the surface of our balls with melted butter and sprinkle with dried parsley.
Bake in a hot oven at 392°F for about 20 minutes.
You can serve it warm, but not too hot.
