Cheese-Filled Sweet Braid
Here's a twist on a popular recipe we teach in our classes.
Dough
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla OR 1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Filling
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla OR 1/8 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
Dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix and knead them together -- by hand, mixer or bread machine -- till you've made a soft, smooth dough. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it's puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk).
Filling: While the dough is rising, prepare the filling by mixing all of the ingredients together till smooth. Chill till ready to use.
Assembly: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and divide it in half. Roll each half into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling lengthwise down the center third of each rectangle. Cut 1-inch-wide strips from each side of the filling out to the edges of the dough. Fold about an inch of dough at each end over the filling to contain it, then fold the strips, at an angle, across the filling, alternating from side to side.
Baking: Allow the braids to rise, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till almost doubled in size. Brush with a glaze made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water, and sprinkle with sparkling white sugar, if desired; then bake the braids in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 braids.
Reviews
12/24/2008
great cheese danish, good looking too will make again.
06/04/2009
Just thrilled with the results from this recipe. The dough was very easy to work with. I added chopped pecans to one and a confectioner's sugar glaze to both. They turned out beautifully. Everyone loved it!
07/14/2009
I would love to have the normal pictures showing this procedure
This is a great idea. Until we are able to put them on the web we have some pictures on page 214 in "The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook". Also there is a picture in "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion" on page 216. Joan@bakershotline
12/28/2009
Wonderful flavor, perfect cheese filling (not too sweet). The cutting of 1" strips was slightly confusing, as I had never done this before, but the end result is very forgiving, and beautiful despite what I did! I thought the cheese micture was going to leak out, but it did not! Try this if you want your family to tell you it tastes like bakery quality danish. I also drizzled a glase on afterward.
02/05/2010
WAY easier than expected. Did dough in bread machine. Then just had to roll and assemble. Put the cream cheese mixture in one and blueberry preserves plus the cream cheese mixture in the other. They look just like the fundraiser braids our daughters' school sells.
Question: Can you freeze the braid after assembly before the second rise? The fundraiser braids come frozen, pre-cooked and you let them rise over night...can I do the same with this recipe? It would be great to be able to make these ahead and pull one out for a special weekend morning.
If you know in advance that you will be freezing the loaves, increase the yeast by about 1/2 teaspoon. I would let them partially proof after you shaped them, before you put them in the freezer. They should freeze well for about 3 months. have fun with it. Mary@ KAF
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