Lemon Pull Apart Bread

Pull apart breads have been very special for me and my daughter.These have been part of our weekend routine for a while now,when we both enjoy this coffee-cake with our morning cuppa and indulge in our little girlie talks. She loves helping in stacking the bread and with such diligence!!It wont be long before she starts making it by herself !!!

I came across this lemon flavored bread recently .It has irresistible citrus aroma and fresh tangy taste.The topping is of cream cheese which makes it a classic combination. Its a nice variation of the more popular Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread.  But I prefer this citrus one!!

The recipe is by Flo Braker from Leites Culinaria and minimally adapted.

Makes: one 9x5x3-inch loaf

For the Dough:

2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons  active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
4T butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water

2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon  vanilla 

• Lemon filling
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• 1/2 cup  sugar
• 3 T        finely grated lemon zest from 2 to 3 lemons
• 1 T         finely grated orange zest, 
• 4 T         butter,melted
• 2 T         Lemon Juice
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• For the cream cheese icing
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• 6T          cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup  confectioners’ sugar
• 1T          milk
• 1T          freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

In a large bowl mix together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted.  Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract.  Let mixture stand for a minute or two.

Pour this milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix . With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until incorporated . Add 1/2 cup flour, and resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.

Sprinkle work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and turn the dough onto the flour. Knead gently until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if the dough is sticky. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for the next step.

• Lemon filling
• While the dough is rising, in a small bowl, mix together the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest. Set aside.The sugar draws out moisture from the zests to create a sandy-wet consistency.
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• On a lightly floured  surface,gently deflate the dough. Roll the dough out as large as it will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter generously across all over the dough .
• Add lemon juice to the sugar zest mixture and sprinkle it over the dough.
• Slice the dough, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again.  You’ll have six stacks of six squares.  Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book.Cover the loaf pan and allow it to rest in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
  Preheat to 180 C degrees .  Place loaf in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is very golden brown.The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.
  • Cream cheese icing
  •  In a medium bowl mix the cream cheese and sugar with until smooth. Beat in the milk and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
  • Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and carefully invert over a flat tray or wire rack so it’s right side up.
  • Coat the top of the warm cake with the icing to glaze it.
• To serve, you can pull apart the layers !!
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