Hedgehog Bread
How to make a delicious novelty Hedgehog bread, simple step by step instructions from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
- 340g / 12oz Strong white bread flour
- 200g / 200mls Lukewarm water / 40°C / 104°F
- 15g / ½oz Soft Butter
- 6g / 1tsp Sugar
- 4g / 1tsp Instant or active dried yeast
- 8g / 1tsp Salt
- I Large egg (beaten)
- 1tsp icing sugar + black food colouring
- Couple of drops of water
- Add the sugar and yeast to the warm water, mix well and allow the yeast to activate for 10 minutes until it foams up.
- Place the flour and salt into a bowl, and mix together.
- Rub the softened butter into the flour with your fingers.
- For hand kneading, add the yeast mixture to the flour, then mix the ingredients together in the bowl, tip the contents of the bowl out onto the bench and bring it all together, then hand knead for 10 minutes.
- If you are using a stand mixer, add all of the ingredients, including the activated yeast mixture to the mixer bowl, and using the dough hook, knead for 10 minutes.
- Place the now kneaded dough into a warm greased bowl, cover and allow to proof for 45 minutes, in a warm spot.
- After the 45 minute proof, turn out the dough and knock it back, that simply means force all of the built up gas out of it, then form it into a flat pancake shape.
- Form the dough into a wedge shape, as shown in the video.
- Place the shape onto a baking tray, sprinkle on a little flour, cover with a light-weight proofing cloth, and get it into a warm spot to proof for 30 minutes.
- When there is only 10 minutes left on the 30 minute proof, pre heat your oven to 180°C / 355°F / Gas mark 4.
- After the 2nd proof, make the hedgehog spikes in the dough by using a small pair of scissors, see the video for details.
- When the spikes are made, get the tray into the preheated oven, and set your timer for 25 minutes.
- While the bread is baking, beat the egg, and make up the eye and nose colouring as shown in the video.
- When there is only 5 minutes left on the baking time, stop the timer, take out the Hedgehog bread, and give it a good coat with the egg-wash, get it back into the oven, and restart the timer.
- Remove from the oven, and transfer it to a wire rack, while it is still hot, use your finger dipped in the food colouring, and make the eyes and nose.
- Allow to completely cool, before slicing and serving.
- This hedgehog bread recipe is a lot of fun to make, but on a serious note, these spikes can be a little hard, especially if you over-bake the bread, so I would recommend snaping off the spikes before giving a slice to small children, so please be careful.
- Be safe and enjoy.
Equipment & products used in my kitchen and videos
