Thanksgiving Turkey Bread

 

I wanted to share this quick post today for how to make a turkey out of soft and garlicky bread.

Perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner table centerpiece.

He is not too hard to put together and he tastes fantastic.

Plus...he's really cute.

 

Soft and Garlicky Bread Dough

 

Ingredients

5 - 5 1/2 cups flour

3 Tbsp sugar

2 envelopes Rapid Rise Yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 cloves garlic, minced

sprinkle garlic powder

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup water

1/3 cup butter, cut into pieces

 

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large bowl combine 3 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, salt, baking soda, minced garlic, and garlic powder. Heat buttermilk, water, and butter until very warm (120 - 130); butter does not need to melt completely. Mixture will appear curdled.

Stir into flour mixture. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic 2 - 5 mins). Cover and let rest on floured surface approx 15 mins.

Divide dough in half. Cover half with clean tea towel and set aside. Work with the other half.

Cut the half you are working with in half again.

Roll one half into a 6 inch circle and the other half into 10 equal sized balls.

 

 

Place the 6 inch circle onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Shape 8 of the 10 balls into teardrop shapes and then roll flat.

 

 

The above photo has the 3 steps for the balls. (bottom) ball. (middle) teardrop shape (top) rolled flat.

These are going to be the turkey's feathers.

Using kitchen shears or clean scissors, cut 3 or 4 snips on each side of each flattened teardrop.

 

 

Place these evenly around the 6 inch circle, carefully sliding under the edge of the large circle.

Use the 2 remaining balls to create the head/neck and the feet - Roll 1 ball into an 18 inch rope. Twist rope, fold in half. Using fingers make an indentation in the body where you want the head to go. Place rope in the indentation placing fold at bottom. Curve top so it resembles a candy cane, pinching ends together to seal.

Cut the other ball into and flatten both halves out. Cut to resemble turkey foot. (see picture)

 

 

Slide one side of each foot under the 6 inch circle where the feet should be. You will have a few little scraps of dough leftover. Roll a tiny scrap into a ball and place this on your turkey as his eye. Alternatively you could use a raisin or something like that.

 

 

If your turkey looks like the above photo then you are good to go.

Now repeat process with second half of dough.

Cover your turkeys with a clean tea towel and set them in a warm place to rise for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 375. Bake for approx 20 - 30 minutes, until a toasty golden brown.

Remove from oven, let cool on cookie sheet before you try and move them. Use parchment paper to assist in sliding them off onto a serving tray. If you try and move them while they are really hot they may fall apart.

 

 

Isn't he adorable. Almost too cute to eat.

Almost.

He tastes fantastic. Soft and squishy and garlicky.

You might recognize this bread recipe.It is my go-to bread recipe. Sue and I used it last year to make our Bread Cornucopias.

 

 

If you want to WOW your guests at Thanksgiving I would recommend the Bread Cornucopia or the cute Thanksgiving Turkey.

 

Pretty and they taste good. What  more do you want out of a dinner table centerpiece.

 

Find some great links at The Mandatory Mooch!

And more great links at Adorned From Above and Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons aaaaand My Turn (for us) and Or So She Says and Horrific Knits and The Chicken Chick and The Velvet Moon Baker too!!