Not every recipe comes out of the oven looking just right.
🙂
John thinks this (partially) braided bread looks like Lake Michigan and he unselfishly volunteered to eat the less than perfect part all by himself!
Made from my basic sweet-dough recipe, I filled this braided bread with cream cheese and a hint of lemon.
Sweet-Dough Recipe
ingredients:
1 large egg plus enough water to measure 1 cup
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups bread flour
3 Tbs. Nonfat dry Milk
3 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. Bread Machine Yeast
Add all of the ingredients in the order recommended by manufacturer of your bread machine (usually wet ingredients followed by dry ingredients and ending with the yeast). Set the machine to dough setting. When complete, remove dough from machine and allow to rest, covered for 5 minutes.
FILLING: (from Taste of Home)
2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
GLAZE:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
In a small bowl, beat all the filling ingredients until fluffy.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll into a 14-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Place on a greased baking sheet.
Spread filling down center third of rectangle. On each long side, cut 1-in.-wide strips, 3-in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Seal end. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Combine confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve drizzling consistency; drizzle over warm bread.
NOTES:
*I roll the dough right on a silicone pad. After filling, cutting and braiding, I then lift the pad onto a baking sheet. I find it easier than transferring the filled dough onto a greased baking sheet. When using the silicone pad I do not need to flour the surface.
*If bread is browning too quickly, tent with foil.
Here is the view I often have while working in the kitchen.
My little buddy keeps a close eye on me and comes-a-running when I slice an apple or banana in hopes I will share with him.
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affiliate links in this post. That means if you buy something from that link, I
will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you anything additional.
Turned out well except I guess I didn't braid it right because it opened p on me completely. I am pretending that this s how it's supposed to look.
I have this rising, getting ready to go in the oven right now. I'll post an update when it's finished. One thing I added is I had some lemon curd, so I softened about 4 tbsp in the microwave, then put it in a plastic bag, cut off tip, and squeezed/drizzled it on top of the cream cheese mixture to hopefully make it taste even more lemony. I'll let you know how it turned out. I always love recipes like this where I can use my bread machine for the hard part.
This is a favourite recipe. Been making this Cream Cheese Danish for many years. Yours looks perfect. ~Ann
I think this is beautiful! I love cheese danish. Enjoyed catching up on all of your lovely posts while I have been gone.
I love when food turns out imperfect…just like us!! To me, your danish looks utterly fabulous. I'd love a slice of it!!
Your Cheese Danish looks delicious! I like the way it looks and I love that you weren't bothered by showing it…we have all been there!
Your little buddy is just the cutest thing. I could steal him right out of that chair.
Your pound cake looks SO good. I really like how you put your tutorial in all the pictures on one like that. I've not been able to put that many in the program I have. It could be me and my ignorance of how to. So Lorraine what program do you use?
Also thanks for coming to my blog. You are always so kind and make me feel so good. And I needed that today.
Hugs to you dear friend,
Nann
Looks delicious to me, LDH, anything with cream cheese can't go wrong.~smile~
Taste of Home does have the best recipes.
Raider is precious! and I think he knows this too.
Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers, I am feeling so much better.
Hugs,
Sue
I bet it tasted wonderful!
In our house when something isn't perfect we call it "charming".
I MUST find a bread machine….I have found so many great recipes.
I WANT A PIECE OF THIS……NOW !
That looks so delisch! Hint of lemon…yes;) Your little buddy, so sweet, eats apple slices…how interesting, our dog would just treat it like a toy ;)~
It was just so delicious that it looked as though someone tried to grab a bit too soon!
I printed the recipe before commenting. This looks delicious – and just the thing for the weekend. It's been a while since I made any sort of bread – thanks for the inspiration!
I printed this recipe and I'm going to try it. Thank you for sharing. Pat
Your cheese danish looks amazing anyway!!! And I bet the "oops" part of it is the most delicious part!!!!! I've never made a danish before, but yours looks wonderful!
maybe visually imperfect but I'm betting it still tasted just as sweet.
I love the shot of your baking assistant. He looks so sweet.
I would volunteer too! Thanks for sharing your recipe at Potpourri Friday!
Oooh, I'll volunteer to eat part of the danish, too. Yum! It looks delicious.
I like this post, it has life in it's real time, with ups and downs. Thanks you! That is such a view you have from your kitchen! Cute one too!
It looks so delicious! Even if it looks a little lopsided! Enjoyed the cream cheese pound cake also! Great posts!
looks like a hand holding cheese. I'm impressed, and you didn't even try. 🙂
Oh, yea, and I would have volunteered to eat the whole thing. Blessings!
Looks great, as do all of your recipes! But my love for cheese danish might encourage me to make this!
Also, where did you find your currants in your last recipe? I have a few recipes that call for currants, but can't find them.
It happens to all of us! I too would be happy to eat the end that looks like the lake! It looks all the tastier to me!
It happens to all of us, and from the looks of it, it still tasted great! What would we do without our husbands eating all the extra bits?
Oh, it doesn't have to look perfect to be delicious!! It looks gorgeous to me! And I love your view from the kitchen! Sweet doggy!
I'm ready to try this! I just made a similar recipe, and this seems much easier. Thanks! Great pics.
The cream cheese braid is one of my all time favorites from the bakery – I would never try to bake it myself. I would gladly eat Lake Michigan for you too!!!!!
Raider is so cute keeping an eye on you.
It actually looks picture perfect to me! And I'm sure it tastes as good. Like the lemon addition.
It looks good to me! My sweetheart and John have a lot in common – and he would volunteer, just as John did!
~Adrienne~
I think I just gained a few pounds just looking at this awesome site. But the way my heart is thumping I am sure it has revved up my metabolism and burn them off. Awesome photo, you sure did get my mouth watering. What!!! only one in the peanut gallery! The sofa and chairs should be filled with hungry eyes.
Good morning! Oh my, that looks soo good I can almost smell it…Have a lovely day!
I love Taste of Home recipes! They are some of the best. I kind of miss their old magazine format though and don't care much for the new design. Great recipe here. How kind of your hubby to offer his assistance in "fixing" your creation! xo Diana
oh, it looks yummi and beautiful!!!
one time I tried to make tortillas, none of them came out round, I eved had one that looked like Italy!
Glad to see I'm not the only one with less than perfect results in the kitchen sometimes! It still looks so tasty!
Your doggy is too precious relaxing in the chair.
Blessings,
Leslie