This pretty loaf of bread is named “sunflower bread” because it looks a lot like the flower, with twisted dough petals and a poppy seed center. The sweet dough, enriched with butter and eggs, is especially tender, and brushing it with beaten egg yolk before baking gives it a golden, sunflower-like hue.
This recipe comes from our kids’ cookbook, Sweet & Salty. Pre-order it now!
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In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Add the butter, 3/4 cup (170g) of the milk, and 1 egg, and mix until no dry patches of flour remain and a soft, sticky dough forms. If the dough is dry or stiff, add a little more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
If kneading by hand, lightly flour your work surface, then transfer the dough to it. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 9 minutes. If kneading by machine, use the dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until no dry patches of flour remain, then increase the mixer speed to medium, and continue to knead until you have a smooth, soft dough, about 7 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl (or just leave it in the mixer bowl) and cover. Let the dough rise until it’s double in size, about 1 hour.
Lightly grease a piece of parchment with nonstick spray or butter, then turn the dough out of the bowl onto the parchment. Using the palms of your hands, gently pat the dough to deflate it. (Basically, you’re burping the dough.) Keep patting the dough into a circle about 9" in diameter. Try to leave the center thicker than the edge.
Place a bowl that’s 3" or 4" in diameter upside-down in the center of the dough to mark the center of the flower. Use a sharp knife or a bench knife to cut slits in the dough from the edge of the small bowl in the center toward the edge of the dough, spacing the slits about 1" to 2" apart. These will become the petals of the sunflower.
Separate the remaining egg, putting the yolk in one small bowl and the egg white in the other. Whisk each one with a fork to break it up.
Remove the small bowl from the center of the dough and brush the center circle with the beaten egg white, then cover it with a solid layer of poppy seeds.
Gently round the outer edge of each petal by tucking the corners under then pinch the tip to create what looks like a sunflower petal. Brush the beaten egg yolk over the petals.
Transfer the dough (still on the parchment) to a large baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rise for about 30 minutes. While the bread rises, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Uncover the baking sheet, transfer to oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and baked through. Remove from the oven and set the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool; eat warm or at room temperature.
Store leftover Sunflower Bread, well-wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
