Bread may be the staff of life, but that doesn't mean it can't come in different shapes.
With holidays on the horizon, here's a buttery pull-apart loaf that will feed a crowd. But it's also pretty enough to double as a centerpiece _ or at least is a lot more eye-catching than some buns in a basket.
Plus, it's fun to eat, pulling off a portion and unfurling it layer by buttery layer _ reminiscent of those irresistibly "grand" biscuits that come in well-known refrigerated blue cardboard tubes.
Are those easier? No question. But holidays are about fussing a bit, and about homemade.
This bread's design resembles a wreath of rosettes and is best made with a springform pan, although a 10-inch circular cake pan with high sides also will work. There are some steps involving rolling and cutting, but stick with us; we'll show you how.
Plus, you can make this loaf ahead of time, wrap it well in aluminum foil and freeze it. Let it thaw overnight on the counter, then warm it in the foil before serving.
The key to the rosettes' tender-crisp flakiness is in rolling five circles of dough, then buttering and layering them like a stack of pancakes. That stack then is rolled and cut into wedges, which then are rolled into cones and arranged in the pan.
Once baked, the outer rosettes form a spiralized border, while the inner rosettes rise like blossoms. The final result is a perfect example of a whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
