Cream Cheese Bread

I'm thinking of those individual buns with cream cheese filling, tuna filling, mushroom filling, curry potato filling, hmm.. yum-yum.. I wish there's at least a bakery shop here like the ones in Singapore, so I can go in and grab(purchase) the ones I want and leave happily.. hehe... Since there is none here, I used my tool; Google for recipes and make it myself. ;) Then I found Cream Cheese Bread recipe from The Merlin Menu. Although this is not exactly what I was thinking in my head, but I did it anyway. They actually turned out great. Perhaps next time, I'll try to make those types that I have been craving for.. hehe ;) Well thanks Ron for sharing the recipe. :))

Cream Cheese Bread

Yield: 2 braids

Ingredients:

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup lukewarm milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature

1-1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

Dough

In a small bowl, combine sugar, milk, water and yeast and let rest until it becomes bubbly. In a large bowl, add the balance of the ingredients and the yeast mix. Knead them together until you've made a soft, smooth dough. Place dough in a greased bowl, turn over, and cover with a moist towel. 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 until smooth. Chill untill ready to use.

Assembly

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board, punch down and let it rest for 5 minutes. Divide it in half. Roll each half into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Transfer rolled dough to baking pan spread with parchment paper. 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. (*i know, I didnt follow the correct measurements.. opss! hehe). Secure with toothpicks.

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.