Festive Christmas Tree pull-apart bread with spelt flour

In this recipe, I am sharing how to make a festive Christmas Tree pull-apart bread with spelt flour. What a perfect centrepiece for your Christmas table. I am using my popular spelt bread buns recipe but making 32 mini rolls to form a tree, adding a little cheese on top and a sprinkle of parsley. You can make this the day before and reheat it to serve the next day.
I was inspired by a reel I saw on Instagram by King Arthur Flour of a mini bread roll Christmas.
Takes total time including resting = about 3 hours
Makes = 32 mini bread rolls
How to Make Spelt Buns
The spelt buns are fluffy and light using olive oil, oat milk and an egg yolk for a creamy texture. This dough I have also used for a sweet twist bread.

Ingredients
- White Spelt Flour – 500g, 17.6 oz (3 cups + 2/3 cup approx.)
- Instant Yeast or fresh yeast – 1 tsp or 10g, 0.50 oz
- Lukewarm water – 50ml, 1.7 oz (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon)
- Lukewarm oat milk (or whole milk) – 250ml, 8.8 oz (about 1 cup)
- Sugar – 1 tsp
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Egg Separated – 1
- Olive Oil – 2 tbsp*
- Mozzarella cheese – 1/2 ball
- Cheddar cheese, grated – 1 tbsp
- Chopped parsley, I use a frozen type – 1 teaspoon
- Flour for dusting
Method
- ADD yeast, sugar and warm water and whisk together then rest for 15 minutes to activate.
- WARM milk slightly and stir in the egg yolk. (white is used for glazing)
- ADD in flour, salt, yeast mix and milky egg mix and gently combine either using your hands or the dough attachment on your stand mixer. Mix for a few minutes then add in the oil. (oops I forgot this in my video)
- ONCE the dough pulls away from the bowl and starts looking clean remove the dough ball with your hands and form a ball. Add a little flour back into the bowl and on top of the dough.
- COVER with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and rest in a warm spot for at least an hour until the dough doubles in size.
- WEIGH out 32 balls approx 20-25g each. I use the scales so they look even otherwise you could guess. Then stretch and roll into mini balls.
- TREE Shape: add baking paper to a large baking tray. Start by leaving 4 balls for the trunk of the tree. Start at the base 7 balls across, then 6, then 5, 4, 3 ,2 and 1 for the top. You could start at the top but I found it easier lining the balls up at the bottom, I placed them snugly side by side but not touching too much as they will rise a little more. Once the tree shape is made cover it with oil plastic wrap or a damp cloth and rest for an extra 30 minutes.
- PREHEAT the oven to 220˚C, 200˚C fan forced, 440˚F/400˚F fan, Gas 7.
- AFTER resting again brush with the egg white wash and add small pieces of mozzarella cheese to the holes. Then sprinkle with grated cheese and a little parsley.
- BAKE for 15-20 minutes until golden. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. If you would like to reheat the following day. Store covered at room temperature overnight then reheat covered with a tray or foil before serving.