Raspberry Butter Braid
Someone posted about Butter Braids last week. Just the name sounded delicious. I searched around trying to find a recipe for it, and was beginning to think this bread is a secret! I found 2 recipes that were close to what I thought it should be, and mashed them together.
I had wanted to do a creamy filling, but alas I was out of heavy cream and did not want to make a trip to the store on this rainy day. So I pulled out my husband's favourite raspberry jam to use instead.
I had intended to freeze the second loaf for when he comes home on leave next month, but I think I am going to have to bake more fresh for him. My daughter (15 months) and I already ate a third of one when it came out of the oven. She kept asking me for more. lol I think when I do this again for my husband, I'll experiment with a peanut butter & jam (no glaze) version for him and myself, and bake another jam one for my daughter.
The bread is very soft. The inside of the loaf just melts in your mouth. The outside has a crust from the egg wash. It's lightly sweet on its own, and sweeter with the jam and glaze. I should have used a knife to cut it neatly, but I was impatient and just tore it apart as it was cooling. Delicious!
Raspberry Butter Braid
Yield: 2 loaves
INGREDIENTS
Scald milk in heavy, medium saucepan. Add butter, sugar, and salt. Let stand until butter melts. Pour mixture into large bowl. Cool to 105 to 115 degrees. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature.
Add yeast mixture and 1 beaten egg to milk mixture. Stir in enough flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form soft, slightly sticky dough. Lightly grease large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with kitchen towel and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Grease two heavy large cookie sheets. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 2 minutes. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 3 pieces. Roll each piece out between hands and floured surface to 18 inch long rope. Using a rolling pin, roll each rope flat, into about, a 3 inch wide strip.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of jam (or filling of your choice) down the length of each strip. Fold dough over filling to seal in jam in the ropes. You can brush the edges of the dough with a bit of water to help seal the dough.
Arrange 3 ropes side by side on 1 prepared sheet. Braid ropes. Pinch ends together and tuck under loaf. Repeat process with remaining 3 ropes on second cookie sheet for second loaf. Cover each loaf with kitchen towel and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush egg wash over loaves. Bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.
You don’t really need a glaze, but if you wish to use one, I recommend my all-purpose glaze recipe that I posted along with my doughnuts recipe, here.
Enjoy!
Find my growing recipe collection here: Minxy's Recipes
It is updated as new recipes are posted.
I had wanted to do a creamy filling, but alas I was out of heavy cream and did not want to make a trip to the store on this rainy day. So I pulled out my husband's favourite raspberry jam to use instead.
I had intended to freeze the second loaf for when he comes home on leave next month, but I think I am going to have to bake more fresh for him. My daughter (15 months) and I already ate a third of one when it came out of the oven. She kept asking me for more. lol I think when I do this again for my husband, I'll experiment with a peanut butter & jam (no glaze) version for him and myself, and bake another jam one for my daughter.
The bread is very soft. The inside of the loaf just melts in your mouth. The outside has a crust from the egg wash. It's lightly sweet on its own, and sweeter with the jam and glaze. I should have used a knife to cut it neatly, but I was impatient and just tore it apart as it was cooling. Delicious!
Raspberry Butter Braid
Yield: 2 loaves
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 envelope dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 large egg, beaten to blend, room temperature
4 cups (about) unbleached all-purpose flour I only needed 3 1/2 cups
3/4 cup raspberry jam (or other filling of your choice)
1 large egg, beaten with 2 tbsp. water
Scald milk in heavy, medium saucepan. Add butter, sugar, and salt. Let stand until butter melts. Pour mixture into large bowl. Cool to 105 to 115 degrees. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature.
Add yeast mixture and 1 beaten egg to milk mixture. Stir in enough flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form soft, slightly sticky dough. Lightly grease large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with kitchen towel and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Grease two heavy large cookie sheets. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 2 minutes. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 3 pieces. Roll each piece out between hands and floured surface to 18 inch long rope. Using a rolling pin, roll each rope flat, into about, a 3 inch wide strip.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of jam (or filling of your choice) down the length of each strip. Fold dough over filling to seal in jam in the ropes. You can brush the edges of the dough with a bit of water to help seal the dough.
Arrange 3 ropes side by side on 1 prepared sheet. Braid ropes. Pinch ends together and tuck under loaf. Repeat process with remaining 3 ropes on second cookie sheet for second loaf. Cover each loaf with kitchen towel and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush egg wash over loaves. Bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.
You don’t really need a glaze, but if you wish to use one, I recommend my all-purpose glaze recipe that I posted along with my doughnuts recipe, here.
Enjoy!
Find my growing recipe collection here: Minxy's Recipes
It is updated as new recipes are posted.