Baking Bootcamp: Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I first started Joy the Baker because I wanted partners in baking. Strange really, considering that when I started Joy the Baker I was working as a baker in a rowdy kitchen.  Still, I would find myself coming home in the middle of the afternoon, still looking around for people to bake with.  Maybe I was a little obsessed…

Where do obsessed people go to find friends that understand them?  The Internet… obviously.

(What feels like) ages ago I joined an online baking group called The Daring Bakers.  Every week a different member would bring the group a new and challenging recipe, we’d all make it, post the results and photographs on our respective blogs, and otherwise totally dork out on our accomplishments.

Being part of The Daring Bakers was instrumental in helping me grow my blog audience, helping me make great baking friends online, and helping me realize that I really should never attempt to make a baguette in my home oven ever again… all really important things.

Now, I wanted to bring some of that community spirit back to Joy the Baker! I want us to take on baking challenges, get in the kitchen, and share all the goodness that comes out! We’re partnering with King Arthur Flour on a 4- part baking challenge called BAKING BOOTCAMP!  You guys… this is going to be good! The goal is to learn the differences between the most popular flours we use in the kitchen, and to get in the kitchen (each and every one of us) and take on 4 different baking challenges with new knowledge and confidence under our apron strings!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Four Flours + Four Recipes Challenges + One Instagram #bakingbootcamp

+ Four Awesome Sets of Prizes!

The idea is simple!

•  Make this braided Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread (it’s sooooo good!) and take a picture of your creation!

•  Follow @joythebaker and @kingarthurflour on Instagram

•  Photograph your beautiful braided bread and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #bakingbootcamp

•  When you submit a photo, you’ll be entered to win a one year supply of King Arthur Flour and a Baking Essentials box valued at $250!!  Official rules and details can be found here.

I’ll be answering questions and sharing your photographs here on Joy the Baker.  By entering the challenge you’ll also have amazing cinnamon swirl bread in your kitchen, so… you really can’t lose.

Let’s get started!

Baking Bootcamp Essentials

Here’s what you’ll need for our Cinnamon Swirl Bread Baking Bootcamp:

1 •  King Arthur All-Purpose Flour  is perfectly soft and reliably sturdy for this braided bread.

2 •  I use this King Arthur Flour Bench Scraper just about everyday in my kitchen.  It’s perfect for scraping little dough bits from the countertop… something a sponge just pitifully attacks.  You might also use the bench scraper as a knife to slice though the center of the rolled dough.  It’s sharp too! I love this tool!

3 • Kitchen fashion is important to me.  Hedley & Bennett understands my needs for a functional, durable, totally chic apron.  Not too frilly.  I always want to be more badass than 50’s housewife-y in the kitchen.  

4 • My Cast Iron Skillet are a staple in my everyday kitchen.  Some are more successfully seasoned than others, but I try to keep some cast iron specifically for savory and other just for sweets.

5 • Having  Colorful Mixing Bowls  is the kitchen equivalent of having a great black dress in your closet.  Necessary treat.  

6 • Powdered Sugar Sifter because dumping it straight from the bag onto our finished bread is way more dramatic and clumpy than we want it to be.

7 • I inherited a Marble Rolling Pin from a family friend and now I don’t know how I’ve gone without one for so long!  This piece has great weigh and can be chilled in the refrigerator prior to rolling to keep our doughs more amiable.

8 • Don’t skimp on Good Silicone Spatulas.  The ones that melt along with the butter are just infuriating.  

9 • Is it normal to have a completely mismatched set of Measuring Cups, or should I just treat myself to a matching set like this?  Don’t answer that…

10 • Same goes for the Measuring Spoons… it’s nice to have a full matching set.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

First up in our baking bootcamp:  All-Purpose Flour. All-purpose flour is the flour is have stocked in your pantry at all times.  It’s super versatile!  It can tackle everything from yeasted breads to tender cakes.  The moderate protein levels in the flour makes it ready to handle most every baking task. King Arthur All- Purpose Flour is milled from the heart of the red winter wheatberry.  It has a protein content of 11.7% which is pretty moderate when you consider the higher protein content of whole wheat flour at 14%.  We going to talk about the nitty gritty of flour tomorrow so stay tuned!

Now… let’s bake together!

This bread is a challenge, but that’s the whole idea!  We’re pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone (Even me!  I am too!!) to create a braided loaf that’s completely unique and we’re learning to work this all-purpose flour in the process.

I start by assembling all of my ingredients.  Measuring and setting ingredients before baking helps me ensure that I haven’t forgotten a vital ingredient.

A towel is also helpful, always.

I first measure and lightly stir and toss the all-purpose flour.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I add sugar to the warmed milk.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I add active dry yeast over the warmed milk and sugar.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Time to stir!

Stirring yeast into warm sugar milk will help activate the yeast in two ways.  Yeast is activated by the heat of the milk and eats the sugars added to the milk.  It will bubble and froth over the course of five minutes.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

That’s when we stir in the egg yolk…

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

And the butter.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

The yeasted, sweet, buttery milk is poured into the all-purpose flour.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I made this recipe with just a bowl and a wooden spoon just to ensure that this recipe was approachable to all of us… even without a fancy stand mixer.

It totally is!

To start, I mixed the dough with a wooden spoon.  It comes together it a rough ball.  That’s about right!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

A good dusting of all-purpose flour for the countertop.

It’s about time to knead!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I start by placing the dough on the floured counter, flipping and rotating it to lightly cover it in flour.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I knead using the heel of my hand to press the dough vertically and forward into a fold.

King Arthur has a really helpful video about how to knead dough by hand.  It’s super approachable!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Sometimes a bit more flour is necessary.

DSC_0395Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

After five minutes of kneading, the dough will be soft and smooth.  It almost has a creamy quality to it.

To test the gluten development in the kneaded dough, I simply press my finger into the formed dough ball.  If the dough springs back, I’m in business!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I lightly grease a large bowl.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Lightly covered in plastic wrap, this is where our dough will rest and rise.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

While the dough rests in a warm place (I usually choose next to the oven somewhere), I stirred together softened butter, ground cinnamon, and sugar for the filling.

Stirring the filling together in a small bowl ensure that it will spread onto the dough evenly.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Look at this!

Risen dough!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I gently hold and knead the risen dough on a lightly floured surface.  Just two kneads will do.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

A light dusting as we prepare to roll.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

And roll!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I’m going for a rectangle shape knowing that yeasted dough has a mind of its own and nothing is perfect.

I’m going for 18×12-inches.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Buttery cinnamon filling is added in dollops across the dough.  Adding the filling in dollops will help in its even spreading.

Also… fingers are often necessary.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I spread the filling as evenly as possible, leaving about 1-inch of clean dough on all sides.

DSC_0587Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Whole berries are added! I pressed them down just a bit, nothing too dramatic.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Rolling the dough is done with light but deliberate hands.  I start on the left side of the longest side of the dough and gently roll the dough onto itself working from left to right and back again.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

The roll is be lumpy and bumpy.  That’s because it’s full of fresh fruit!  Totally normal.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

The roll is left seam side down and the ends are gently tucked under.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Ok.  Here’s where things start to get a little crazy.

I slice the rolled dough in half lengthwise, leaving about 1-inch of dough attached (un-cut) at the top.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

The doughy halves are then flipped upward.

Hang in there! This feels crazy, but it’s totally possible.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I carefully grab the left strand of dough and lift it over the right strand.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I take the left strand once again and gently lift it over the right strand.    It’s normal to need to re-orient the entire strand to make sure it stays evenly twisted in the center of the table.  The key is not to be afraid of the dough.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

On and on creating a twist.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

The braid is twisted arched into a circle and the two ends are pressed together.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

I greased a 9-inch skillet.

This particular skillet has tall 3-inch sides.  Don’t worry.  That’s not entirely necessary.  A traditional cast iron skillet will also work well.

If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a 10-inch spring form pan will also work well. I always wrap the outside bottom of my spring form pans with foil just to prevent and sneaky leaks.

A 10-inch cake pan with 3-inch sides will also work.  Just be sure to grease the cake pan well.  Run a knife along the edges of the pan before inverting and removing the bread from the pan.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

One deep breath and I gently lifted the dough into the greased skillet.

The fact that I have huge hands helps.  There’s no hesitation in this move.  The dough will smell my fear.  I just go for it.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

One large egg, beaten…

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the BakerDSC_0817

And lightly brushed on the the doughy edges of the unbaked loaf.

Off to the oven!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

About 25 minutes later the loaf is golden brown and sizzling with berries and cinnamon sugar.  It’s all very good news!

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

Because our dough was gently kneaded with all-purpose flour, eggs, and butter, the bread is wonderfully tender and rich.  The sweet berries compliment the fragrant cinnamon creating a perfectly decadent breakfast treat.  Also… I just braided bread so I basically feel like a superhero.

Triple Berry Yeasted Cinnamon Swirl Bread // King Arthur Flour + Joy the Baker

photographs by: Jon Melendez

Now it’s your turn!  Take on the challenge!

Share your beautiful braided bread with us on Instagram #bakingbootcamp.

You have until June 22nd to submit your photos to be entered to win a one year supply of King Arthur Flour and a Baking Essentials Box valued at $250.  Official rules and details here.

Leave any questions about the recipe in the comments below and check back here for all of your baking photos!

Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread makes 1 loaf

Print this Recipe!

For the Dough: 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to a warm lukewarm 1 large egg yolk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 1/4 cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour 1/2 teaspoon salt a bit of olive oil for greasing the bowl For the Filling: 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 cups fresh berries (sliced fresh strawberries, fresh raspberries, fresh blueberries) 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash In a medium bowl stir yeast with sugar. Stir in  the lukewarm milk and then add the egg yolk and melted butter.  Whisk together until thoroughly combined.  Allow mixture to rest for 5 minutes.  It should foam and froth. In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients and start kneading it until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Place dough on a lightly floured counter and knead by hand for about 10 minutes more.  Dough ball should be smooth and damp, without being too sticky.  Shape dough into a ball. Grease a large bowl with olive oil.  Place the dough in the bowl and cover.  Allow to rest at warm room temperature for about 1 hours, or until doubled in size. While the dough rises, whisk together the butter with sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet.  Set aside. After the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured counter and knead twice.  Using a rolling pin to roll the dough to a rectangle of about 18×12 inches. Spoon the cinnamon filling over top, spreading evenly, leaving a clean 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the fresh berries over the cinnamon filling. Start by rolling the longest side of the dough.  The roll will be a bit lumpy because of all the berries. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half length-wise leaving 1-inch of the edge uncut. Start braiding the two pieces, by carefully lifting the left strand over the right strand.  Repeat this motion until you reach the bottom of the dough.  Press together to seal.  Join the two ends, creating a circle with the dough and press together. Using two swift hands, transfer the dough ring to the prepared cast iron skillet. Brush the wreath with the beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.  Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.  

All Comments

I Made This

Questions

191 Responses

  1. Challenge accepted!

    Would you mind sharing the details of your flour canister?

    Please and thanks!

  2. Hi Joy! Now I know these is supposed to be a swirl bread but would it be possible to shape these into cinnamon rolls instead? :) I love the recipe but I’m planning on bringing some baked goods to a dinner and I feel like the cinnamon rolls would be a more fun “pull apart” option. Thanks! :)

  3. I was wondering if I could substitute a gluten free flour for this recipe? It’s so beautiful and sounds delicious!

  4. We have made this recipe twice in a spring form pan. We baked it for 25 minutes and it is doughy. Suggestions? My son is determined to take this to the county fair as his 4-H project.

  5. This looks so gorgeous! I can’t wait to try it, but the formatting for the recipe seems to ned fixing…?

  6. Never mind… I found the salt step in the written recipe…!i was following your picture steps :( hope it’s not ruined

  7. Dough came out great (used dough hook), all was fine until cutting and braiding. Um, no. Ended up picking up the pieces and rerolling, then twisting (and shouting) and got it in my cast iron skillet. Tasted great for sure and was a hit under good vanilla ice cream.

  8. I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. My fiance LOVES blueberries and I’m always looking for new recipes to use them in. I made your swirl bread with blueberries alone and it was not only delicious, but it looks sooo impressive! The step by step pictures you put up helped so much! YUM!

  9. how i stumbled on your site, i’m not quite sure; looking for recipes, undoubtedly, but girl, i am so glad i did! i am a “seasoned” baker (meaning i am 61 years old), and this just makes me smile! i can’t wait to try your recipes on my 71 year old man and grow to be a chubby, sassy old lady!! thank you for having the courage to do this!!

  10. This was a beautiful post! All the love you give to your food was shown with the gentleness you used to make this wonderful braided bread. I will give it a try.

  11. Love the berry bread but leaving out the description of the medical grade glass measuring cup.,,,no way! Would love to know a source. KAF did offer a glass measuring beaker…but no more! HELP

  12. Your instructions (visual) are not the same as the written recipe at the beginning – in the visual it is just warm the milk, add the sugar to the milk, then yeast, then wait 5 minutes. In the written – it is mix sugar and yeast, add to milk, then add egg yolk and melted butter – and then wait 5 minutes. Just a bit confusing when your written/visual don’t agree. I actually did it the written way – and it turned out fine (although I didn’t get much frothing). It was ABSOLUTELY delicious though – and very beautiful.

  13. it’s so fun to bake with you! I baked it (not yet eaten it) but it smells sooo good.

    Kisses from italy!

  14. This looks so good but I’m allergic to strawberries and I was wondering what other fruit I could substitute. Apples and peaches I think would be too watery. Would rhubarb work? I’ve never cooked with it nor eaten it cause it is often paired with strawberries.

    1. You’d have to cook the rhubarb for a bit first, because it’s too firm just as it is. But actually, apples wouldn’t be too watery at all. That sounds amazing! It’ll pair well with the cinnamon!

  15. I made this with my granddaughter who is 10. We had so much fun and she did everything with me. In fact, she did most of the kneading. The KA video was so much help. I wish I knew how to instagram so you could see the pix we took. Thanks for the inspiration to challenge ourselves!

  16. I absolutely loved making this! The smells were amazing! However, I think I had too much fruit (even though it was 2 cups) because I could only do about 1 complete roll of the dough & when I went to start braiding the 2 strips, they started collapsing! The twisting/braiding wasn’t going to work, so I just did a bit and then wrapped it inside the cask iron skillet! Despite the messier look, it still came out smelling and tasting amazing!
    I love this #bakingbootcamp idea and am so excited to be a part of it! Yay dorky baking communities :)

  17. Novice bread maker here! I have a post-recipe-accomplished(!) question, and I hope Joy or anyone can answer.

    Do you think a really hot kitchen would make the braiding part harder? The braiding part was so crazy, and it was very hot and humid in our kitchen. Maybe the berries were a little too wet, but it just seemed like the hot air made braiding very precarious and crazy. The dough was very close to tearing. Would it have made a difference if I had put the ac on?

    1. You can definitely try it with frozen berries. Just make sure they’re thawed and completely dried. Try rolling them around in paper towels to soak up all that moisture!

  18. Don’t see any rules…assume just make the bread and enter picture? I see after you make the braid you don’t let it rise again?

    1. I have no idea! It was in the house I was staying in! It’s great though, right? I want one for myself!

  19. Has anyone experienced the berries making the bread portion a bit soft and mushy after a day on the countertop? I’m not going to complain about it being berry season and these berries being juicy and delicious, but my bread is not as golden and delicious as it was yesterday out of the oven.

  20. Hi joy! I’ve made a berry version of this and am planning on making a cherry version for some friends tomorrow morning. I’m thinking I making the dough tonight and either refrigerator the dough after the hour rise and rolling it out in the morning or making the whole thing tonight, refrigerating and them baking in the morning. Which do you think would be better? Or should I jus bake it tonight?

    1. To answer my own question: I put the dough in the fridge after its one hour rise, then pulled it out in the morning and let it sit for about an hour and a half before rolling it out and proceeding. And it was fantastic with the fresh berries.

  21. Is the photo used in #3 a real apron?! I can’t find it on their website and I MUST HAVE IT!!! Also, this looks amazing… I’ll be adapting this to gluten free ASAP :)

  22. Can you leave dough overnight? Also, if I wanted to use recipe to make cinnamon rolls, do you have an icing recipe?

    1. Karen, I put mine in the fridge overnight and left it out for about an hour and a half before rolling it out and filling it. I’ve had luck with other cinnamon roll recipes making them up to the point of baking and refrigerating them overnight. Pull them out first thing in the morning and let them sit for about an hour before baking.

  23. I found it unusual that you didn’t let the braid rise before you baked it. I usually let my breads rise after I’ve shaped them. Does it rise OK just going right into the oven?

  24. Love this recipe! Can you leave dough over night? Also, if you used this to make cinnamon rolls, do you have a good glaze/icing recipe?

  25. This recipe looks so delicious and your step by step instructions and pictures are so easy to follow! I was wondering where you found that measuring beaker with the handle? I haven’t been able to find one quite as tall or skinny, so I thought I’d ask. Thanks!

  26. Had a blast doing the baking boot camp challenge over the weekend. I might try the bread using meat and cheese. Picture already posted in Instagram.

  27. Do we have to include the fruit to enter the challenge? Could I leave them out or use nuts if we have to have something lumpy in the filling?

      1. Yay! I’m definitely giving this a try – I’ve yet to attempt braiding or twisting or anything pretty like that and this is the perfect excuse to try it!

  28. Just came out of the oven! I can’t wait to have it for breakfast! I’m wondering how I should store leftovers? (I tried asking this a few minutes ago, but I’m not sure if it worked, so please excuse if it’s a double post.)

  29. I only have a few more minutes until mine’s out of the oven. My home smells amazing! I’m wondering how leftovers should be stored?

    Thanks, Joy! So excited for the challenge!

  30. I have made the bread and posted to Instagram with the hashtag. I’m not sure if I missed it, but is that all that’s needed to be considered in the contest?

  31. Being Canadian, I couldn’t join the contest, but I made it last night and brought it into work this morning. What a hit! Loved it! Definitely brought me out of my baking comfort zone!

  32. Ah! Catching up on my blog reading and it looks like I may have missed some awesomeness … this is such a grand idea and I love the recipe! I might be late to the party but darn it if I am not gonna show up and shake my groove thing!

  33. Hi Joy, 2 things: 1. I tried this with a stand mixer/dough hook and the dough was pretty dry and not smooth and 2.- The instructions say add the yeast and sugar but the underneath the pictures the caption says you added sugar to the milk and then added the yeast, etc. Which was is better or correct? My yeast was brand new but it only bubbled a little bit and the dough didn’t rise well. Wondering what I’m doing wrong. Thanks!
    ~MichelleB

    1. I followed the written instructions at the bottom and then noticed the difference too. I freaked out at first, but then I decided to let the yeast mixture sit for 5 minutes longer (thinking the cold egg chilled it a little), and this worked perfectly! I also used a stand mixed and dough hook. I would suggest making sure your milk isn’t too hot or cold. Mine was about 110 F.

  34. I made this today and the process was very easy. Mine LOOKS great, but the taste is not there. I feared this would be the case when I tasted the raw dough (can never resist), and it just wasn’t very sweet. Well, of course not, it has only 1 tablespoon of sugar. I figured the sugary filling would add some sweetness, which it does, but not enough IMHO. Disappointing! I think sweet rolls and breads should taste sweet.

    1. you’re right, Ann. The dough isn’t sweet. i wanted all of the sweetness to come from the filling and the berries. sorry to hear you’re disappointed!

  35. I made this at midnight last night because I had 2 gallons of strawberries after we went picking at the patch yesterday. It was so worth staying up late, letting the dough rise and baking. I used all strawberries and it was spectacular. I plan to enter the contest after buying the other 2 berries for the recipe. I brought it as an offering as breakfast this morning, meeting friends at the park. And I left with an empty skillet because everyone devoured it so quickly. It’s a keeper for the recipe box.

  36. Hey joy , It looks delicious but I have a question can I use just strawberries and still eligible for the prize ?

  37. The recipe looks wonderful but I want to know about that beautiful wooden bowl you are using! It’s lovely!

  38. I mayyyy have been late to work this morning because of this bread. (Worth it? Yes.)

    I made the dough the night before and left it to rise in the fridge, then shaped + baked in the morning. I really love this baking bootcamp, Joy!

  39. I’m going to give it a try. It’s just my husband and me at home now and I need to cultivate a new hobby. I’ve been reading cookbooks like crazy over the last year or two, trying new recipes here and there. Maybe it’s time to get serious. :)

    How do you stay so slim with all the cooking and baking you do?!?!?

  40. Can’t wait to try this at my community garden pot luck tomorrow.

    Can I make the dough today (let it double I’m size and all that) and refrigerate until tomorrow morning? If so, does the dough need to come to room temperature before I kneed and roll it out? Thanks!!!

    1. if you’d like to make the dough ahead of time, i would make the dough, put it in the greased bowl, cover it in plastic wrap and immediately place it in the fridge. it will rise slowly in the fridge overnight. then allow it to come to room temperature (for about 30 minutes at room temp) before rolling out and proceeding with the recipe. happy baking to you!

  41. came together beautifully but struggled with the actual baking–over-baked on the outside layers and raw in the middle–bummer–any suggestions? Don’t have trouble with oven temperature as most everything bakes up fine

  42. So, I’d really like to do this but I don’t have a smartphone, therefore no instagram. Is there any other way to be part of the bakingbootcamp? :(

    1. you can email a photo to me at joy at joythebaker dot com and i’ll make it part of the collage here on joy the baker and you’ll be entered in the contest!

  43. I’m a bit disappointed by how much of a thinly veiled marketing ploy this is. :-( 4 whole posts??

    1. can i tell you why i absolutely LOVE King Arthur Flour? i find that they create the best and most consistent flour product on the market… this coming from the days when i was a professional baker working with large batches of dough where consistency in product really makes a different. King Arthur is also 100% employee owned and i’ve had the pleasure of working with them and teaching baking classes in Norwich for years. they’re really lovely people that create and care about a really wonderful product. it feels less like marketing and more like a privilege for me to share King Arthur Flours with my readers.

      what’s also great is that everyone gets to have their own opinions, and i respect yours.

  44. Looks luscious and exactly the challenge I need for this Memorial Day weekend. You might want to put the lift the dough gently into the greased skillet though and not the creased skillet. Also – 3 teaspoons of cinnamon? Wouldn’t 1 tablespoon be easier?

    1. I made this already and subbed all of the dairy ingredients for vegan ones (almond milk, earth balance) but I did keep the egg yolk. To make it vegan you could just leave the egg yolk out- the point of it is to make the dough richer, not to bind, so you don’t need flax/chia etc substitute.

  45. This looks amazing!! I’ve recently fallen off the bandwagon on baking and cooking and this is just the thing to get me back on track! Thank you for the amazing step by step.

    Also, I know it was asked before but I didn’t see an answer to it yet, can I use any flour or should it be KAF? I really do like their products but when buying in bulk its cheaper to go brand-less! Please let me know!

    1. well… i would say that you should use King Arthur Flour because i find that it really is the best flour on the market because of its consistency and quality (no joke… it’s spot on), but you can use whatever flour makes you happy.

  46. Question: do you think miniature versions of these could me made? Like the size of large muffins? Also, is baking it in a container with sides completely necessary (could I just bake the twisted loaf on a regular sheet pan)?
    Thanks!

  47. It’s awesome! The only problem I had was that my berries were a little wet so the dough was hard to braid. The end result was so good. Keeper recipe!

    1. you’re speedy! i’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. i totally understand how wet berries can make the bread hard to braid. Way to go for making it work!

  48. When I saw four different flours I was hoping for one of them being gluten free :( King Arthur’s gluten free flour mix is great!!

  49. Going to jump in. My husband would love this. So would I but can’t eat white flour products : (

  50. This is the prettiest bread I’ve ever seen! I am SO doing this challenge!! I love your blog, Joy!!

  51. ok, i’m totally making this. i’ve made so many of your recipes and giggled at your posts over the years (um, baked DONUTS, anyone???) and never commented. this looks like a most satisfying challenge! so fun!

  52. Is each recipe a different contest? (ie, after June 22nd there will be a new recipe posted & chance to enter?) and are ingredient substitutions allowed? (different fruit?) thanks!

    1. you can substitute the recipe (like berries and things) as you see fit. it’s your kitchen, go for it! and yes, each recipe is a different contest. they next baking flour and contest will be in August.

  53. I love King Arthur Flour (I went to college nearby their Vermont store/bakery/factory of amazingness) and can’t wait to this recipe. I might sub in rhubarb for the blueberries, though…is that totally crazy?

    1. let me know how the rhubarb works for you. my initial instinct is that i might be too wet, or might not have enough flavor. let me know what you think, thought! happy baking!

  54. I know what I’m making this weekend! This looks amazing!

    Joy, are you coming back to Vermont anytime soon? My brother and I would love to see you again!

  55. Love, love, love the photos of you doing your bakin’ thing! Such a different angle, it’s great to see you baking. For the contest, do you need to bake the exact same recipe or can you jazz it up?

  56. This looks delish, I am definitely making it this weekend. Is it weird that I totally want to plan an outfit around a baked beauty like this triple berry bread?

  57. Girl, I am so doing this recipe this weekend. Challenge accepted! I actually recently bought a cast iron skillet (and love it immensely) but this will be the first time I’m baking something sweet in it. Quick question, though, would 1% milk work just as well or would it really change the texture?

    PS: I just started following your blog and podcast and let me just say, I simply adore you and Tracy!

  58. Hi – can I make the dough and refrigerate it over night after it’s risen for 1 hr? It would save me some time the next morning so please let me know if that works!

  59. Oh, Joy! That looks amazing. Sadly, I live in Canada and am not eligible to win that amazing prize from KAF, but I am still going to do the challenge! Thanks for this. The step by step shots are AMAZING! But where was your stylish apron? ;-)

    1. i’m so happy you’re still in! that makes me really happy! the shots are by Jon Melendez of the blog The Candid Appetite. and truth be told i’m so lazy about wearing an apron in the kitchen. tisktisk.

  60. I would consider myself a pretty experienced baker, but baking bread scares me. Something about the yeast and the rising and the kneading. It’s intimidating for a perfectionist like me. I’m afraid I’ll mess it up. Maybe this is just the recipe to set aside my fears and just go for it! You’ve inspired me!

  61. 2 things: first of all I love this challenge series, because flour and baking with it freaks me out, and second, how do you measure your flour? I’ve heard/read various do’s and don’ts, with spoons, with a sifter, air it up, don’t add too much air, etc. What do you do with this recipe, for instance? Thank you. I love your blog!

  62. I love the idea of teaching people how to use specific types of flour. I feel like with baking that’s where we can get into the most trouble. This recipe looks absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to try and make a vegan attempt at recreating it!

  63. I really want to try this– both the recipe and the baking challenge! Would it be completely insane to try to do this with gluten-free flour? If I make it with regular all-purpose flour I won’t be able to eat it, which would be kind of miserable ;-)

  64. I remember the Daring Bakers Challenges! I was doing them for a while when I first started my food blog. The first one I attempted was a French Yule Log, which wasn’t the usual roll cake you often see, but a multi-layered masterpiece. Not easy in the least! I loved those challenges. They definitely helped me work outside of my comfort zone and improve my skills in the kitchen! :)

  65. Love this recipe! Beautiful photos as always, and I’m looking forward to entering the challenge and trying out this bread myself. Can’t wait, I love King Arthur products!

  66. Oh my gosh this looks so yummy!! I would make this right now but I don’t have a cast iron skillet :( Is there any way to bake this using another kind of pan or dish? Cus I really want this to be in my face like right now :) haha

    1. great question! i’ve amended the notes above. you can use either a 10-inch springform pan or a 10-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides, just grease both well. (and i like to wrap the bottom outside of my springform pan with foil.)

    1. you can use either a 10-inch springform pan or a 10-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides, just grease both well. (and i like to wrap the bottom outside of my springform pan with foil.)

  67. Joy,
    Was wondering where you bought the tall, clear glass measuring cup that you mixed the milk, sugar, yeast, etc. in. I love it!

  68. Joy, if we don’t have a cast iron skillet (I know, it’s practically a sin!) what should we use instead? And will it affect the outcome of this lovely bread dramatically?

    1. you can use either a 10-inch springform pan or a 10-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides, just grease both well. (and i like to wrap the bottom outside of my springform pan with foil.) the change in pans should affect the outcome.

  69. Oh! I SO want to do this, but I’m not on Instagram. I don’t have a smart phone, either. Could I share it another way to enter? Please say yes! I’d love to win a year’s supply of King Arthur flour!

  70. Thanks so much for all the step by step pictures!!! They really help. Im going to try this this weekend! Love your blog so much!!

  71. Hello Joy,
    I have one question concerning the cast iron skillet. I don’t have one. Can I also take a normal spring form for that? Thanks for the reply.
    Greets, Anja

    1. you can use either a 10-inch springform pan or a 10-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides, just grease both well. (and i like to wrap the bottom outside of my springform pan with foil.)

      1. That was my question too! I don’t own a cast iron skillet but I DO have a springform, yay! Joy you just answered my question of how I am going to spend my morning, baking this beautiful bread! Too bad I don’t have Instagram :(

  72. I am so delighted to see you’re making this, Joy, because I am in the middle of baking a chocolate version from Yotam Ottolenghi’s book ‘Jerusalem’. Your fruit version look equally delicious!

  73. I can never resist an enriched dough (I blame my central European origins) and this looks so good! Perfect for the weekend.

  74. King Arthur is the best, period. Hands down, best. Love this bread and the amazing step shots. The pic of vertically slicing the log, now that’s where it would have been like, whoa, a little bit like am I really doing this? LOL But clearly it all worked out. Beautiful bread and pinned!

  75. I can’t wait to make this and enter the challenge! This looks positively amazing! The braiding technique is beautiful :)

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