Tom Turkey Bread Centerpiece
The perfect centerpiece to your Thanksgiving table, the Tom Turkey can be propped up on a picture holder and surrounded with fall fabric, leaves, wheat stalks, pumpkins and flowers.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons dry milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoons bread machine yeast or fast rise yeast
Decorations:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 raisin
Directions
Prep Time: 4 hours
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 1 centerpiece
Dough Preparation
- Bread Machine Method: Place ingredients in the pan in the order listed above, select the Dough setting and press start. Check dough after 5 minutes. Dough should form a ball around the kneading blade. If it’s too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water. If it’s too wet, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time. When cycle is complete, remove dough from machine.
- Traditional Method: Dissolve yeast in water (110-115° F) and mix in the remaining ingredients. Knead dough 7 to 8 minutes. Cover and let rise until dough doubles in size. Punch down dough, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
- Frozen Dough Method: Thaw 1 ½ pounds of frozen bread dough, following manufacturer’s instructions, but keep dough cool.
To Shape Turkey
- Divide dough in half. Form one-half into a ball and flatten with rolling pin into a 6-inch circle. Place on large greased baking sheet.
- Cut remaining half into ten equal pieces and shape into balls. Form eight of the balls into teardrop shapes about 4 inches long. Flatten with rolling pin. Using scissors, make clips on sides and top to form feathers. Place around turkey for tail feathers.
- For head and neck, roll one ball into an 18-inch rope. Twist rope and fold in half. Using fingers, make a 3-inch vertical indentation in the body. Place rope in the indentation placing fold at bottom. Curve top so it resembles a candy cane, pinching ends together to seal.
- Cut remaining ball into two pieces; flatten each into 2-inch circles. Cut wedges out to form feet. Tuck top of feet under body.
- For beak, take scrapes of dough and flatten. With scissors, cut a diamond shape; fold in half. Position in curve of the head.
- For eyes, flatten the raisin and cut it in half. On each side of the beak, clip dough with scissors and place raisin in cuts.
- Beat together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water. Using pastry brush, brush entire surface with mixture. Let rise uncovered 25-30 minutes or until almost double.
- Bake at 350° F for 25-30 minutes or until golden. (If one area browns more quickly cover with foil and continue baking.)
- Place on cooling rack. Let dry at room temperature for several days.*
- Use a picture holder to stand up turkey. Decorate table with turkey surrounded with fall fabric, leaves, wheat stalks, pumpkins and flowers.
* If you plan to eat the "turkey" as part as your meal, do not let dry.
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