A sweet taste of summer braided into a delightfully tender, pillowy dough, this Lemon Curd Braid will brighten any breakfast. Filled with a sunny, fresh lemon curd filling and topped with Swedish pearl sugar and a sweet and simple Glaze, this braided bread lets simple flavors shine. The soft and rich surrounding dough achieves unmatched texture and flavor using Platinum® Yeast from Red Star® and promises a perfect loaf every time. Fast acting and bolstered with natural dough strengtheners to give your bread an extra boost, Platinum® Yeast from Red Star® will change your bread-baking game for the better. So, start your summer off right with a bread as bright and beautiful as the summer days ahead!
- 2¾ to 3 cups (344 to 375 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) kosher salt
- 1 (0.25-ounce) package (7 grams) instant yeast*
- ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (60 grams) water
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature and divided
- Lemon Curd (recipe follows)
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) Swedish pearl sugar
- Glaze (recipe follows)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1½ cups (188 grams) flour, granulated sugar, salt, and yeast.
- In a medium saucepan, heat milk, butter, ¼ cup (60 grams) water, and vanilla over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 120°F (49°C) to 130°F (54°C). Add hot milk mixture to flour mixture; using the paddle attachment, beat at low speed until combined. Beat in 1 egg (50 grams). With mixer on low speed, gradually add 1¼ cups (156 grams) flour, beating just until combined and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until a soft, somewhat sticky dough forms, 7 to 8 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl and dough hook; add up to remaining ¼ cup (31 grams), 1 tablespoon (8 grams), at a time if dough is too sticky. (Dough will be elastic and pull away from sides of bowl but stick to bottom of bowl.) Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a smooth round.
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until almost doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Punch down dough, and let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Roll into a 16×12-inch oval. Using a small knife or bench scraper, score (or mark) a 13×4½-inch rectangle in center of dough, leaving a 1½-inch border on short sides and a 3¾-inch border on long sides. Spread Lemon Curd in rectangle. Cut 1-inch-wide strips along each side of filling. At top and bottom, trim ends to width of filling and fold over filling. Discard scraps. Starting on left side, stretch and then fold top strip over filling, ending just below opposite top strip. Repeat with top strip on right side. Continue pattern, alternating left and right, until you reach end. Tuck and pinch last strip. (If dough is not sticking to itself, dab with a little water to help it seal.) Transfer dough, on parchment, to a baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until puffed, 15 to 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1 egg (50 grams). Brush top and sides of dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with pearl sugar.
- Bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in bread registers 190°F (88°C), 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Serve warm or at room temperature with Glaze.
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (6 grams) tightly packed lemon zest
- ¼ cup (60 grams) fresh lemon juice, room temperature
- 3 large egg yolks (56 grams), room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- Place a fine-mesh sieve over a heatproof medium bowl.
- In the top of a double boiler, whisk together sugar, lemon zest and juice, egg yolks, and salt until well combined. Cook over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring constantly, until thickened and can coat the back of a spoon and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F (77°C) to 180°F (82°C), 10 to 15 minutes.
- Press curd through prepared sieve into bowl, discarding solids. Add butter, 1 to 2 cubes at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 2 hours.
- 1⅓ cups (160 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) whole milk
- In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth and fluid. Use immediately.
Source: https://www.bakefromscratch.com/category/recipes/bread/feed/
