Braided Bread

Hi everyone!

I really wanted to make fruit-filled braided bread today, so I found this recipe online. I would have recorded myself making this recipe, but my family took the camera on vacation with them. I made two different kinds of filling (4 loaves): apple and blueberry cream cheese. Both are amazing, but I think I like the blueberry one best. 
The bread may look hard to make, but it is really quite simple. If you make it, you will love it. The bread would be amazing with other types of filling, such as raspberry or cherry. Enjoy :)
                                                                                                                -Elizabeth :)


Bread
This recipe is made in two parts. First you make a sponge, then you add the rest of the ingredients and finish the dough.


Sponge
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees)
2 cups all-purpose flour


Combine yeast, sugar, and flour. Add milk and stir to combine. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.


Dough
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2- 3 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces


Add eggs, salt, sugar, and 1 cup of the flour to the sponge. Add the butter a few pieces at a time while mixing. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is kneadable but still soft. Knead for 5 minutes by hand or using a mixer with a dough hook. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 hours until double. Punch dough down. Divide into two pieces and roll each into a rectangle. Put filling in the middle third (lengthwise) of the dough. Cut the outer thirds of the dough diagonally into tabs about 1 inch apart. Fold each tab over the filling so they overlap and form a braid pattern. Fold ends under and place on greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 Tablespoon milk). Bake at 350F for 35 minutes. 


For blueberry cream cheese bread: Spread dough with cream cheese filling, then add blueberry filling on top.
For apple filled bread: Spread dough with apple filling. 


Cream Cheese Filling
3/4 cup cream cheese
2 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 T egg wash 


Mix all ingredients until smooth.


Blueberry Filling
2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh (I used frozen, because that's what I had)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 T lemon juice


Combine all ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring so the filling does not stick to the bottom of the pan.


Apple Filling
2 cups apples, sliced thin (I used 1 granny smith and 1 gala)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 Tablespoon butter


Combine all ingredients and heat until the mixture thickens and is gooey.