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Yggdrasil Braided Bread - Best Recipe - Easy Home Making

Yggdrasil Braided Bread (Thor: The Dark World)

Two artisan bread doughs — one light and herby (Thor) and one dark and molasses-spiced (Loki) — braided together to represent Yggdrasil, the Norse world tree, with nine realm jars woven throughout. A showstopping MCU-inspired centerpiece bread
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Bread, Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Nordic inspired
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Thor's Herb Bread Dough
  • 4 oz lukewarm water
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup warm milk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp celery seeds
  • 1 oz sunflower seed kernels
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 1 sprig fresh sage, minced (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 18 oz bread flour (approximately 2¾ cups)
Loki's Molasses Rye Bread Dough
  • 2 oz lukewarm water
  • 2 oz lukewarm blackstrap molasses
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup warm milk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 9 oz bread flour
  • 9 oz rye flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup raisins
For the Aether Dip
  • 2 jars pimentos, drained
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp olive oil, plus more for presentation
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, plus more for presentation
  • salt and pepper to taste
For Assembly
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 9 small oven-safe jars or ramekins (pimento jars or similar)
  • optional fillings for jars: butter, cream cheese, olive oil, pesto, cinnamon sugar

Method
 

Make Thor's Herb Dough
  1. Dissolve the powdered sugar in the lukewarm water in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for about 5 minutes until creamy
  2. Add the melted butter, warm milk, eggs, salt, fennel seeds, celery seeds, sunflower kernels, rosemary, and sage. Stir with a dough hook or wooden spoon until combined
  3. Add the bread flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead with a dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes, or by hand for 10 minutes, until soft and elastic
  4. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn once to coat, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and set aside to rise
Make Loki's Molasses Rye Dough
  1. Stir together the lukewarm water and blackstrap molasses until smooth. Make sure the mixture is truly lukewarm — too hot will kill the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes until creamy
  2. Add the melted butter, warm milk, and eggs. Stir until combined
  3. In a separate bowl stir together the bread flour, rye flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add about 1 cup of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients first to form a thick liquid, then add the remaining dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes together
  4. Add the raisins and knead them in until evenly distributed. Knead the dough for 5 minutes with a mixer or 10 minutes by hand until soft and elastic
  5. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap
First Rise
  1. Leave both doughs to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until approximately doubled in size. Pro tip: preheat oven to 200°F, turn it off, then place both covered bowls inside
Shape and Braid
  1. Test all jars or ramekins in a 500°F oven for 20 minutes before use to confirm they are oven-safe and will not crack. Set aside
  2. Punch down both doughs. Divide each in half, returning one portion of the molasses dough to its bowl for the crown and roots
  3. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll the two herb dough portions and one molasses dough portion into thick ropes approximately 2 feet long each
  4. Arrange on the cookie sheet with the molasses dough rope in the center. Loosely braid the three ropes together, leaving 4–6 inches unbraided at each end to allow space for the jars
  5. Carefully insert jars or ramekins in the spaces between the braids, manipulating the braid as needed to fit them. Arrange as evenly as possible
  6. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment. Divide the remaining molasses dough in half. Shape one piece into the crown of the tree and one into the roots by making cuts to create tendrils and bending them around additional jars
Second Rise and Bake
  1. Leave all shaped bread pieces to rise for another hour until noticeably puffed. Beat an egg and carefully brush egg wash over all bread surfaces, wiping up any drips on the parchment
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Fill each jar approximately halfway with hot water to prevent cracking from temperature shock
  3. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the bread is deep golden brown. Cool until safe to handle, then carefully remove the jars, pour out the water, and set the jars aside
Make the Aether Dip and Serve
  1. Drain the pimentos and place in a food processor with the garlic, shallot, Italian seasoning, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Process to the consistency of crushed tomatoes or your preferred texture. Season with salt and pepper
  2. Transfer the dip into one or more of the jars set into the bread. Drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top and swirl gently for visual effect
  3. Fill remaining jars with fillings of your choice — softened butter, cream cheese, olive oil, pesto, cinnamon sugar, or dry spices all work well
  4. Store bread in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Refrigerate any perishable jar fillings including the Aether dip

Notes

Make sure water and molasses are truly lukewarm before adding yeast to Loki's dough — liquid that is too hot will kill the yeast and result in poor rise. Rye flour also causes a denser rise than white bread flour so do not be alarmed if Loki's dough rises less than Thor's. Test all jars in a hot oven before baking with them to confirm they are oven-safe. Aluminum foil balls can be used instead of jars as placeholders and removed after baking. This recipe makes a very large showpiece — plan for plenty of counter and oven space