Christmas Tree of stuffed buns, ideal to present at Christmas as a centerpiece.
Looking for a scenic, delicious and very easy idea for your Christmas centerpiece? Here’s a Christmas Tree made of soft buns hiding a melted heart!
Very easy and quick, you can fill it as you like: sweet (with Nutella or chocolate chips) or savory, it doesn’t matter, it depends on whether you’ll serve it at the beginning or end of the meal, or as a snack for the little ones.
I opted for the savory version. The preparation is very simple. I prepared the dough, let it rise for about two hours, then divided it into small balls which I then filled with cheese cubes and ham and baked. As for the filling, you can get creative and use the cheese or cold cuts you like best, anchovies, vegetables… Any way you do it, it’s delicious!
Fun to eat: no knives! Everyone grabs their bun directly from the tree.
The bread is super soft (even the next day) and very tasty. Try it, I’m sure you’ll love it too!
Let’s see together how to make the recipe for the Christmas Tree of stuffed buns. Prepare the ingredients, let’s start.
And if you try it, don’t forget to let me know in the comments on my Facebook page HERE. If you want, give a Like to the page: it would make me really happy. I’m waiting for you.
Gabriella
Other delicious recipes for Christmas:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 – 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup milk (at room temperature)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon malt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 packet dry brewer's yeast (4 g)
- as needed milk (for brushing)
- as needed black sesame seeds (or light sesame, poppy, flax or whatever you prefer)
- as needed scamorza cheese (cubed)
- as needed cooked ham (cubed)
Tools
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Kneading board
- 1 Brush
- 1 Baking tray
Steps
Making the recipe for the Christmas Tree of stuffed buns is very simple.
First, pour the water into the stand mixer. Add the salt, oil, milk, then the flour and malt. Start kneading.
When the dough begins to come together, add the yeast and knead for about 10 minutes.
At this point, remove the dough from the mixer and form a loaf that you will let rest in a lightly oiled bowl for about 2 hours. If the external temperature is quite low, place the bowl in the oven with the light on.
Here’s the dough after two hours.
Then, place the dough on a lightly floured kneading board and flatten it with your fingers. Divide it into 14 equal pieces (I used 12 in total). Each piece weighed about 48 g; form balls.
Open each ball and insert the filling: 5 – 6 cubes of scamorza cheese and as many of ham.
Close them, pinching with your fingers so that the closure is at the bottom, and place them on the tray, forming a tree (for the final trunk, I slightly lengthened a ball).
Then, let it rest for about 60 minutes in the oven with the light off (1); it should double in volume (2).
At this point it is ready to be baked. Preheat the oven to 356°F, in convection mode.
While the oven heats up, brush the surface with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds as desired.
Then, bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes.
Once cooked, it should be nicely golden, remove it from the oven and let it rest covered with a cloth.
Finally, here’s the Christmas Tree of stuffed buns ready. Enjoy your meal!
Until the next recipe.
Storage
You can store the Christmas Tree of bread for 1 – 2 days in a food bag, but to savor it best I recommend consuming it the same day. Otherwise, you can also freeze it.
You can store the Christmas Tree of bread for 1 – 2 days in a food bag, but to savor it best I recommend consuming it the same day. Otherwise, you can also freeze it.
You can store the Christmas Tree of bread for 1 – 2 days in a food bag, but to savor it best I recommend consuming it the same day. Otherwise, you can also freeze it.
If you like making bread at home, also try
– the Soft Loaf Bread – extra soft
– the Super Soft Loaves – ready in half a day
– the Very Soft Pan Bauletto without milk
Tips and Suggestions
Ideas for the filling?
– Classic: cooked ham and melted cheese
– Fancy: salami and provola cheese
– Vegetarian: pesto, sun-dried tomatoes or olives
…and for the sweet tooth? A sweet version with hazelnut cream!
…and for the sweet tooth? A sweet version with hazelnut cream!
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I prepare the dough the day before?
Yes! You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise in the refrigerator (well covered). The next morning, let it return to room temperature for an hour before forming the balls and proceeding with the second rise.
Do the buns stay soft even the next day?
Yes, thanks to the presence of milk and oil in the dough. To serve it best the next day, I recommend slightly warming it in the oven (just 5 minutes at 302°F) to melt the cheese again!
How do I give it the perfect tree shape?
Start from the top with 1 ball, then go down with rows of 2, 3, 4, and 5. Remember not to place them too close to each other before the second rise: as they grow, they will join perfectly creating the tree effect. Don’t forget 1 or 2 balls at the base to make the trunk!
