Teddy Bear Bread

To assemble the bear you’ll need to cut the dough using a sharp knife, so divide the dough before working with a toddler. Cut the dough in half. One half of the dough is going to be the teddy bear’s body. Shape it into a large ball and place it in the center of your lined baking sheet. Cut the remaining piece of dough in half. One half is going to be the teddy bear’s head. Shape it into a ball and place it just above the body, using a little bit of water to help the two pieces stick together if necessary. Cut off about 1/3 of the remaining piece of dough, then divide into two small balls (the ears) and one smaller ball (the nose). The last piece of dough will form the arms and legs. Cut it into four pieces, roll into balls, then attach to the teddy bear’s body. You can make the legs bigger if you want by using more of this portion of dough for the legs. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, cover the bear loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. With a sharp knife cut small slits where the eyes and belly button will be, then insert your raisins or dried blueberries. Stick a raisin or blueberry on the nose. To bake the bread: Whisk together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of olive oil, this is going to be the glaze for your bread. Gently brush the dough with a thick layer of it. Place the dough in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the bread is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when you thump it on the bottom. Transfer to a baking rack to cool. Allow to cool completely before slicing – or at least wait until it’s warm, not hot –