I love making Bread. Probably my favorite things to make. I’ve been making homemade bread for a couple of decades now but this is the first time I’ve made such a challenging artisan bread as this English Saffron Bread recipe.
I’ve had this recipe for a few years now and pretty much avoided it because of the high cost of Saffron. I finally got some Saffron as a gift so I had no more excuses not to make this bread.
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Is Saffron so expensive because it’s so rare? I heard it originated in Iran but why is it so expensive? Maybe because of how it’s manufactured? Check out this informative article.
The other part of this recipe that might be challenging for some of you to make is the preparation of the dough and braiding it.
I asked for a little help from my wife for the braiding part as she has a lot more experience braiding hair than I do!
Instant Yeast vs Active Dry Yeast
Instant Yeast Does not need to be dissolved in water before use and can be mixed directly into the dry ingredients. On the other hand, Active Dry Yeast has to be dissolved in warm water with a bit of sugar before use to ensure it’s alive.
Does Yeast Go Bad?
Active Dry Yeast can go bad since it’s a living organism. It typically has a shelf life of 1–2 years when stored properly. To check if your yeast is still active, dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar in ¼ cup of warm water. Add 1 packet of active dry yeast, stir, and wait for 5–10 minutes. If the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly, the yeast is still good. If not, it’s time to replace it.
Instant Yeast has a longer shelf life than active dry yeast but can still go bad. To test it, Dissolve ½ teaspoon of sugar in ¼ cup of warm water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of instant yeast. Wait 5-10 minutes. If the mixture foams and bubbles, the yeast is still active. If nothing happens, it’s time to replace it.
If you’ve never made homemade bread, I would strongly suggest you cut your teeth on an easier recipe like my Easy Bread Dough recipe or even my Homemade Dinner Rolls recipe.
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this English Saffron Bread recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Milk, Butter, White Sugar, Saffron, Active Yeast, Eggs, Salt, Ground Nutmeg, Ground Cinnamon, Lemon Zest and Bread Flour.
How to Make English Saffron Bread
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Add the butter, sugar and stir until the butter is melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
- In a small bowl, soak the saffron in 1/2 Cup hot water, let cool until lukewarm, drain and reserve the liquid.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk mixture with the reserved saffron water and beaten eggs. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve.
- Add the salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest and 4 cups of flour, mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Form into 14-inch long ropes.
- Braid the ropes together and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove to a wire rack and cool.
English Saffron Bread
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Milk
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup White Sugar
- 2 Tsp Saffron
- ¼ oz Active Dry Yeast
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 2 Tsp Salt
- ½ Tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
- 6 Cups Bread Flour
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Add the butter, sugar and stir until the butter is melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
- In a small bowl, soak the saffron in 1/2 Cup hot water, let cool until lukewarm, drain and reserve the liquid.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk mixture with the reserved saffron water and beaten eggs. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve.
- Add the salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest and 4 cups of the flour, mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Form into 14 inch long ropes.
- Braid the ropes together and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove to a wire rack and cool.
I thought this was an easy recipe to follow. I normally scald the milk and let it cool. I also kept the saffron threads – curious why you would eliminate? Threw in some currants, too, and sprinkled castor sugar on top. I also substituted orange rind for lemon. I thought it was a good recipe!
This saffron bread is the best I have ever made.