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Bob's Red Mill Blueberry-Lemon Cream Cheese Braid
2007 Oregon's Best Winner

Makes 2 braids

Ingredients

Sponge
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 ½ cup warm milk
  • 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • Dough
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 ½ -3 cups Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ cups (1 stick) butter

Blueberry Filling

Egg Glaze
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Cream Cheese Filling

  • ¾ cup cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Streusel Topping

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest

Preparation

  1. For the sponge: Mix the sugar, yeast and flour together in a bowl. Pour in the warm milk. Beat until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside for a half hour.

  2. Add the eggs, salt, sugar and 1 cup of the flour to the sponge. Beat until smooth. Then add the butter in small chunks and beat well. Add the remaining flour a handful at a time and mix in until a soft but kneadable dough is achieved and the butter is thoroughly incorporated.

  3. Knead the dough by hand or with a mixer until it is smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes.

  4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 ½ -2 hours.

  5. While dough is rising prepare the cream cheese filling, streusel topping and egg glaze, as follows.

  6. Cream cheese filling: Measure all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.

  7. Streusel topping: Measure all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.

  8. Egg glaze: Combine the egg and mil in a bowl and beat until frothy.

  9. When dough has risen, deflate the dough and divide it into two pieces. Use a rolling pin to shape each piece into a thin (1 cm.) rectangle.

  10. Spread the blueberry and cream cheese fillings in the center of the dough.

  11. At an angle, slice the sides of the dough into tabs approximately 1 inch wide. Alternating from side to side, fold the pieces in over the filling. When possible, gently press the tabs to seal the folds.

  12. After it has been fully folded, glaze the braid with the egg glaze and sprinkle with streusel topping. Cover the baking tray loosely with plastic (for example, place the entire tray in a clean kitchen garbage bag.) Set aside to rise until doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes. While it is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  13. Just before placing the braid in the oven, remove the plastic and glaze the sides of the braid again with any remaining egg glaze. Bake on the center rack of the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes, rotating it once after 20 minutes so that it bakes evenly. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for at least half an hour before slicing.

Blueberry Filling

  • 3 ½ cups blueberries

  • 1 cup cold water

  • ¾ cup sugar + 2 tablespoons

  • ¼ cup Clear Jel A + 1 tablespoon

  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

  • 3 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

  • 3 drops red food coloring (optional)

  • 1 drop blue food coloring (optional)

Wash blueberries and place in a large bowl. Combine water, sugar, Clear Jel A, cinnamon and food coloring in a large pot. Cook on medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over blueberries and fold in. Pour mixture into jars a spoonful at a time, frequently using a spatula to remove air bubbles. Leave a ½’’ headspace. Wipe rims, adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner for 30 minutes.

2007 Bob's Best Home-baked Bread Contest - Bob's Red Mill Flour
Covie Quick
Linn County

This recipe has not been tested by the Agri