I keep making this one. It's so pretty...
It takes 4-5 hours start-to-finish.
Sometimes the bread filling gets a chemical flavor, and I suspect it's the cream cheese. Next time I make this bread, I want to try a savory filling that I know will bake well to check this flavor source hypothesis. Getting a higher end cream cheese that isn't stretched with filler might also help.
Other filling ideas: use jam instead of freeze-dried fruit; cinnamon/sugar/butter/raisin; coconut/cream cheese/chocolate chip; Nutella/cream cheese; garlic butter; onion/garlic/sundried tomato; basil/garlic/parmesan; hatch chilis/Colby Jack
| Ingredients | Step |
|---|---|
| 3 T. water 3 T. milk, whole preferred 2 T. bread flour |
Combine in a small saucepan. Whisk until lump-free. Then cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened and paste-like (~2-4 minutes). |
| tangzhong ½ c. milk |
Transfer tangzhong to the bowl of the stand mixer. Stir milk on top to help cool it. |
| 2½ c. (300 g) bread flour (often I need to add more) 1 egg 4 T. butter, softened 1 T. (9 g) yeast ¼ c. (50 g) sugar 1 t. (6 g) salt |
Mix to combine, then knead until soft & smooth (tackier than a post-it, sticking somewhat to the walls of the mixing bowl, but not a batter and not sticking to oiled hands). |
| lightly greased bowl | Shape the dough into a ball. Let it rest in a lightly greased bowl, covered, for 1-1½ hours, until puffy. It won't necessarily double. |
| 4 oz. cream cheese (half package), at warm room temperature 2 T. sugar zest of 2 lemons pinch of salt |
Mix until smooth. |
| 2 T. freeze-dried fruit 2 T. flour |
Mix until berries are completely crushed and evenly distributed. |
| On a lightly floured surface, gently deflate the dough. Divide it into 4 pieces (~170 g. each). Shape each into a ball. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. | |
| 9" springform or round pan | Line with parchment. Lightly grease the parchment and sides of pan. |
| Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into a 6"x12" rectangle. Portion ¼ of the filling (2 heaping tablespoons) onto the top half of the rectangle. Spread it down, leaving the last 5"-6" bare. Cut the uncovered dough into very thin strips. Fold the long edges in so the filling can't seep out; pat gently to flatten. Roll toward the uncovered strips, lightly press the strips into the log, then place the log (seam-side down) into the pan along the outside edge. Repeat. | |
| Cover and let rise 60-75 minutes. | |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees. | |
| milk | Brush the roll with milk (be careful not to deflate it). Bake 28-32 minutes, rotating partway through, until 190 degrees and golden. Remove and cool on rack. |