Rosemary Pesto Crown Bread with Apricot Glaze

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (for dusting)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoons fast-acting yeast (instant yeast)
• 1½ tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 4½ ounces warm milk (about ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon, 105-110°F)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature

For the Nut-Free Pesto:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

For the Filling:

• ¾ cup pesto (from above recipe or store-bought)
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

For the Topping:

• 3 tablespoons apricot jam (homemade or store-bought)
• Fresh rosemary, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Make the Pesto:

1. Blend the Pesto Add the fresh basil leaves, garlic cloves, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse several times until everything is blended into a thick, slightly chunky paste. Scrape down the sides as needed. The pesto should be spreadable but not watery. Set aside until ready to use.

Make the Dough:

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour (1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons), kosher salt, fast-acting yeast, and finely chopped fresh rosemary. Add the softened butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This should take about 2-3 minutes of rubbing.
3. Add Wet Ingredients and Form Dough Add the egg and warm milk to the flour mixture. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, bring the dough together until it forms a shaggy ball. It will be slightly sticky at this point, which is normal.
4. Knead the Dough Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (use the 2 tablespoons of flour for dusting). Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. The dough should bounce back when you poke it with your finger. If it's too sticky, add a tiny bit more flour, but don't add too much or the bread will be dense.
5. First Rise Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rest in a warm spot for 90 minutes until doubled in size. A warm kitchen or an oven with just the light on works great!

Shape the Crown:

6. Roll Out the Dough Once the dough has doubled, punch it down gently to release air bubbles. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 12 inches by 10 inches. Try to keep the thickness even throughout.
7. Add the Filling Spread the pesto evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving about ½ inch border around the edges. Drop small dollops of softened cream cheese all over the pesto layer, spacing them evenly. Don't spread the cream cheese, just leave it in dollops.
8. Roll into a Log Starting from one long side (12-inch side), tightly roll the dough up into a long log, like a jelly roll. Keep the roll tight as you go to minimize air pockets. Pinch the seam at the end to seal.
9. Cut and Braid Using a sharp knife, cut the log lengthwise down the middle, starting from one end but leaving about 2 inches at the top intact and uncut. You should now have two long pieces that are still connected at one end, with all the pesto layers exposed. Starting at the connected end, braid one piece over the other, alternating left over right, right over left, all the way down the length. The exposed pesto swirls will be visible throughout the braid.
10. Shape into Crown Transfer the braided dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Carefully shape the braid into a circular crown, bringing the two ends together. Pinch the ends firmly together to seal so they don't open up during baking.
11. Second Rise Cover the shaped crown loosely with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. The dough should puff up and look lighter.

Bake:

12. Preheat and Bake While the crown does its second rise, preheat your oven to 415°F (213°C). Once the crown has doubled in size and looks puffy, bake for 25 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through. The bread should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.
13. Cool Slightly Remove the crown from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. It should be warm but not piping hot when you glaze it.

Glaze and Serve:

14. Apply Apricot Glaze While the bread cools, warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan or microwave until it's thin and pourable, about 15-20 seconds. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the warm apricot jam all over the crown, making sure to get it into all the crevices. The glaze will soak in slightly and create a beautiful glossy finish.
15. Garnish and Serve Sprinkle freshly chopped rosemary over the glazed crown for extra color and flavor. Let the bread cool for another 5-10 minutes, then serve warm! Encourage everyone to tear off pieces to share.