Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Pull-Apart
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Yeast dough sweet bread rolled with cranberry syrup, dark chocolate chunks, and diced crystallized ginger. Baked in slices vertically stacked to tear apart. Uses warm milk and eggs for enriched dough, lightly sweetened. Cranberry compote made with orange zest instead of water adds citrus punch. Sweetened with maple sugar on top for crunch contrast. Yeast proofing takes 1 hour 20 minutes initially, then 55 minutes after shaping. Makes 6-8 portions, vegetarian and nut-free. Dense but moist crumb, tangy bursts from cranberries, zing from ginger, bittersweet chocolate melting throughout. A shareable treat with slightly sticky texture, best within 3 days stored airtight at room temperature.
Prep:
45 min
Cook:
40 min
Total:
Servings:
6 to 8 servings
#sweet bread
#yeast bread
#cranberries
#dark chocolate
#crystallized ginger
#baking
#pull-apart bread
#vegetarian
#nut-free
Yeast bread with chocolate and zing. Cranberries simmered in sweet syrup with a hit of fresh orange juice, mashed just enough. Tangy and sticky. Ginger adds a spicy kick, diced small to distribute without overpowering. Dough is enriched — eggs and warm milk soften texture, giving tender crumb balanced by butter. After first rise, rolled out thick rectangle, spread filling. Roll and slice vertically. Pull-apart style; pieces layered in a pan. Second rise short, proofed until puffy but not collapsing. Maple sugar dusting for extra aroma and sweet crunch. Oven set moderately hot, bakes till crust is coloring up, interior moist but firm. Serve warm or cooled, breaks apart easily — messy but fun to share.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 180 ml warm milk (slightly more for brushing)
- 16 ml (3 1/4 tsp) sugar
- 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) instant dry yeast
- 420 g all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 40 ml (2 2/3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 ml (1 1/4 tsp) salt
Filling
- 110 g fresh or frozen cranberries
- 60 g sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 100 g roughly chopped 70% dark chocolate
- 100 g finely diced crystallized ginger
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) maple sugar (optional)
About the ingredients
Eggs gently warmed to room temp keeps dough consistent. Milk heated moderately till barely warm activates yeast quickly without killing it, adding moisture for tender crumb. Sugar adjusted down slightly from usual to balance natural sweetness in chocolate and cranberries, plus maple sugar topping replaces white sugar for caramel notes. Flour unbleached to retain more natural flavors and better gluten development. Butter softened not melted—its creaminess slowly distributes, enriching dough without greasiness. Cranberries fresh or frozen both work, just thaw frozen before cooking to avoid excess water in filling. Orange juice replaces water in the filling liquid, adding acidity and depth without too much dilution. Crystallized ginger cut finely, so pieces blend into bites without overwhelming spices. Dark chocolate chunks folded in just before rolling keeps pockets of melted bittersweet contrast throughout. Loaf pan size slightly adjusted—standard 9 x 5 inch fits all slices without crowding.
Method
Prepare dough
- Whisk eggs in medium bowl. Stir in warm milk, sugar, and yeast, combine thoroughly.
- In stand mixer bowl fitted with dough hook, toss flour, butter, salt until crumbly.
- Add egg mixture; mix briefly until dough forms a sticky mass.
- Knead at medium speed for 6 minutes or until smooth and slightly tacky.
- Shape into ball. Place in lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap.
- Proof in warm, humid spot for about 1 hour 20 minutes or until doubled.
Make cranberry filling
- Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice in small saucepan.
- Simmer over medium-low heat 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until syrup coats spoon.
- Mash cranberries gently with fork; transfer to bowl, cover, cool to room temp.
Assemble bread
- Generously butter 23 x 13 cm loaf pan (9 x 5 inches).
- On lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 37 x 24 cm rectangle (14 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches).
- Spread cranberry mixture evenly over dough, then scatter chocolate and ginger.
- Roll dough lengthwise into 24 cm log (9 1/2 inches).
- Slice log into 12 equal pieces.
- Arrange slices upright in the loaf pan, snug but not compressed.
- Cover with damp cloth, proof again 55 minutes in warm, humid spot.
Bake
- Place oven rack center; preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Brush top of dough with reserved warm milk; sprinkle with maple sugar if using.
- Bake 38-42 minutes until golden brown and fully baked (tester comes out clean).
- Cool slightly before removing from pan.
- Store at room temperature in airtight container; best within 2-3 days.
Cooking tips
Whisk eggs and liquids together first to warm them and dissolve sugar and yeast thoroughly, encouraging faster rise. Mixing flour with butter and salt until granules forms helps distribute fat evenly, enhancing dough texture when yeast is added. Kneading longer ensures gluten fully develops, yielding smooth, elastic dough despite tackiness. First rise is longer than usual—1 hour 20 minutes—wait for clear doubling, not just puffiness. Cranberry mixture simmered gently to knock down some tartness but keep whole fruit bursts, mashed lightly for chunky spreadable consistency. Rolling dough evenly to exact rectangle helps uniform filling coverage and even backups in slices. Cutting 12 pieces allows pull-apart servings easy to share. Proof second time covered well—humidity essential or sides dry out before rising. Oven preheated to 175°C, bake for 38-42 minutes, check color and internal temp if possible. Brushing milk before baking adds shine and slight softness to crust; maple sugar topping optional but recommended for sweetness balance and crunch. Cooling rack important to prevent sogginess underneath after pan removal. Store airtight to maintain softness and flavor; use within 3 days for best texture.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Eggs room temp matters. Cold eggs shock yeast. Warm eggs blend easier with liquids. Stop short on heating milk. Only slightly warm. Hot kills yeast, cold slows rise. Stir sugar and yeast with eggs and milk before adding flour. Mix flour, butter, salt to crumbly before liquid. Butter bits coat flour, slow gluten. Knead dough 6 mins; longer than usual gives toughness but good chew. Dough sticky but elastic shows enough gluten.
- 💡 Proofing needs warmth and humidity. Drafts dry crust, block rise. Cover dough with plastic wrap plus damp cloth during second rise. Dough doubles first rise. Puffy second rise not full double, prevent collapse. Use loaf pan sized 23x13 cm. Arrange slices tightly but not forced jammed. Uniform roll helps slices align properly. Roll lengthwise, 37x24 cm, 24 cm log length before slicing.
- 💡 Cranberry syrup replace water with orange juice. Citrus acid brightens flavor without watering down sweetness. Simmer low heat 12 mins lets syrup thicken coats spoon. Mash berries lightly to keep bits intact. Frozen cranberries thaw overnight avoid excess moisture diluting filling. Spread filling evenly to avoid dry patches or overly wet dough spots. Chocolate chopped roughly keeps pockets melted at bake time.
- 💡 Brushing milk before baking adds light shine and melts sugar on top better. Maple sugar dusting optional but adds crunchy caramelized top layer, deeper flavor than granulated sugar. Bake 38-42 mins at 175°C. Check oven racks mid-level for even color. Tester clean means crumb set but still moist inside. Cool bread briefly in pan, then remove to rack to prevent soggy bottom. Store airtight room temp max 3 days for best texture.
- 💡 Butter softened, not melted, is key. Soft butter incorporates evenly without greasiness or pushing yeast out. Maple sugar topping chosen over white sugar for aromatic caramel notes, slight crunch. Crystallized ginger diced fine spreads spicy zing without overpower. Dark chocolate chunk size matters; too small melts into dough, loses texture. Large chunks create pockets with bittersweet contrast throughout crumb.
Common questions
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes but thaw overnight. Extra moisture can affect filling thickness. Drain if necessary. Simmer low heat to reduce water. Mash gently for good texture. Frozen brings convenience, fresh better taste usually.
How long proof for first rise?
About 1 hour 20 mins. Dough doubles size, not just puffed. Needs warm humid spot. If colder, longer time needed. Watch dough not to overproof or collapse. Dough should still be elastic and spring back slightly.
What if my dough is sticky?
Sticky expected due to enriched dough and butter. Add flour sparingly if too wet, but careful not dry out dough. Sticky dough still develops gluten when kneaded properly. Oil hands lightly to handle easier. Avoid adding too much flour, keep crumb tender.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap airtight, room temp best. Refrigeration dries crumb fast, avoid if possible. Use within 3 days max. Freeze slices in airtight container for longer storage. Thaw at room temp. Slight stickiness normal, reheating lightly restores some softness.
