Festive Homemade Surprise Bread

Festive Homemade Surprise Bread is a medium French recipe that serves 5. 350 calories per serving. Recipe by Norbert Tarayre on YouTube.

Prep: 4 hrs 55 min | Cook: 45 min | Total: 6 hrs 10 min

Cost: $39.30 total, $7.86 per serving

Ingredients

  • 600 g Rye flour (Sift before use)
  • 280 g Wheat flour type 55 (If possible, use type 65 for more strength)
  • 600 g Water (Room temperature)
  • 25 g Fresh baker's yeast (Divide: 2 g for the starter, 23 g for the final dough)
  • 18 g Salt (Add last)
  • 500 g Unsalted butter (Soften at room temperature then whisk into a cream)
  • 10 g Fresh ginger (Finely chop)
  • 1 lemon Lemon zest (Use finely grated zest)
  • 80 g Onion (Slice then caramelize over low heat)
  • 6 g Espelette pepper (Coarsely grind)
  • 400 g Canned chickpeas (Drain and rinse)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (Crush)
  • 100 g Argan oil (Nutty flavor, keep refrigerated)
  • 100 g Olive oil (Extra virgin)
  • 120 g Sour cream (To make the hummus creamy)
  • 200 g Cream cheese (Philadelphia type) (Slightly soften)
  • 10 g Chives (Finely chopped)
  • 100 g Smoked salmon (Slice thinly)
  • 100 g Pastrami (Slice into thin strips)
  • 100 g Duck mousse (Optional, spreadable)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the starter

    Mix 100 g rye flour, 170 g wheat flour, 70 g water and 2 g fresh yeast. Stir until you obtain a very soft and creamy dough. Cover with plastic film and let ferment 1 h at room temperature until the volume doubles.

    Time: PT1H10M

  2. Mix the main dough

    In a large bowl, combine 600 g rye flour, 280 g wheat flour, 600 g water, 23 g fresh yeast and 18 g salt. Add the fermented starter. Mix by hand or with the mixer hook for 10‑12 minutes until you obtain a homogeneous and slightly sticky dough.

    Time: PT15M

  3. First fermentation (bulk fermentation)

    Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic film. Let rest 1 h30 at room temperature until the dough has risen about 30 %.

    Time: PT1H30M

  4. Shape the bread and place in the pan

    Lightly dust the bottom of the tin with flour. Pour the dough into the pan, smooth the top with a damp spatula. Fold a small edge of the dough to create a smooth surface.

    Time: PT10M

  5. Second fermentation (proof)

    Cover the pan and let rest 45 minutes at room temperature. The dough should almost double in volume.

    Time: PT45M

  6. Preheat the oven

    Turn on the oven and preheat to 270 °C for 5 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 270°C

  7. Bake the surprise bread

    Put the pan in the center of the oven. Bake 45 minutes at 270 °C, injecting steam at the start (pour a little water onto the tray). The bread should be well browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

    Time: PT45M

    Temperature: 270°C

  8. Lemon‑ginger butter

    Divide 250 g softened butter in two. In a bowl, whisk one half with 10 g finely chopped fresh ginger and the zest of one lemon. Lightly salt. Refrigerate.

    Time: PT15M

  9. Onion‑Espelette pepper butter

    Caramelize the sliced onion in a small saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil. Let cool, then mix with the remaining 250 g butter, 6 g Espelette pepper and a pinch of salt. Whisk until homogeneous.

    Time: PT15M

  10. Homemade hummus (roumousse)

    In a food processor, blend 400 g drained chickpeas, 2 garlic cloves, 100 g argan oil, 100 g olive oil, 120 g sour cream, the juice of half a lemon, salt to taste. Adjust texture with a little water if needed.

    Time: PT10M

  11. Chive cream cheese

    Mix 200 g cream cheese with 10 g finely chopped chives, a pinch of salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

    Time: PT5M

  12. Assembly and serving

    Let the bread cool 30 minutes, then unmold and cut into 10 to 12 slices about 1 cm thick. Spread each slice with the various butters, hummus, cream cheese, smoked salmon or pastrami, and optionally duck mousse. Arrange the toppings decoratively.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
350
Protein
10 g
Carbohydrates
45 g
Fat
15 g
Fiber
5 g

Dietary info: contains fish, contains meat, low-calorie, high-fiber

Allergens: gluten, milk, fish, sesame (argan oil), egg (in duck mousse depending on preparation)

Last updated: April 7, 2026

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Festive Homemade Surprise Bread

Recipe by Norbert Tarayre

A homemade surprise bread, soft and slightly dense, ideal for the holiday season. It is accompanied by five tasty toppings: lemon‑ginger butter, onion‑Espelette pepper butter, homemade hummus, chive cream cheese and smoked salmon or pastrami. The recipe uses a starter to ensure optimal fermentation and a flavorful crumb.

MediumFrenchServes 5

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
4h 55m
Prep
45m
Cook
41m
Cleanup
6h 21m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$39.30
Total cost
$7.86
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Prepare the starter and let ferment 1 h
  • First fermentation (bulk fermentation) of the dough
  • Create steam at the beginning of baking

Safety Warnings

  • Handle the very hot oven: wear kitchen gloves.
  • Be careful with sharp knives when slicing the bread.
  • Argan oil is very hot when added to the processor; let it cool slightly before blending.

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