Lemon Braid With Lemon Curd

Lemon Braid

Ingredients: 
Sponge
3/4 cup (170g) water, lukewarm
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 cup (57g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Dough
all of the sponge
3/4 cup (170g) plain or vanilla yogurt, at room temperature
8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (12g) salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups (600g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Filling
6 ounces (170g) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1/4 cup (57g) sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (28g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (203g) prepared lemon curd*
*See "tips," below.

Topping
1 large egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt
pearl sugar or coarse sparkling sugar

Directions:

To make the sponge: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, stir together the sponge ingredients. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside to proof for 10 to 15 minutes.
To make the dough: In the same bowl, combine the sponge with the yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add 4 1/2 cups (540g) of the flour and mix with the paddle attachment until the dough is a rough, shaggy mass.


1. Switch to the dough hook and knead on speed 2 until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add more flour, if necessary, to achieve the correct consistency.

2. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise until it's quite puffy and nearly doubled, about 60 to 90 minutes. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling.

3. To prepare the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients (except the lemon curd) in a small bowl, mixing until smooth and lump-free. Reserve the filling and lemon curd until ready to fill the braids.

4. Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Cover half with plastic wrap and set it aside as you roll the first piece into a 10" x 15" rectangle. Rolling on parchment paper makes moving the bread to the baking sheet much easier.

5. Lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise, to visually divide it into three equal sections. Spread half the cream cheese filling down the center section and top with half the lemon curd, leaving 1" bare of filling at each end of the dough.  

6. To shape the braid: Begin by using your bench knife, a pair of scissors, or a sharp knife to cut and remove a 1” rectangle from each of the dough's four corners. This “notching” will make the ends of the finished braid neater.  

7. Next, fold the resulting dough "tab" over the edge of the filling on one end. Starting at that same end, cut 1" crosswise strips down the length of the outside sections, making sure you have the same number of strips on each side.

8. Beginning on the left, lift the top dough strip and gently bring it across the filling diagonally. Repeat on the other side with the top dough strip, so that the two strips crisscross each other. Continue down the entire braid, alternating strips to form the loaf. When there are just two strips remaining (one on each side), fold the remaining "tab" over the filling, then crisscross the final two strips. 

9. Repeat the rolling, filling, and braiding steps for the second piece of dough, using the remaining cream cheese filling and lemon curd. Set both loaves aside, lightly covered, to rise until quite puffy, 45 to 50 minutes.

10. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the loaves with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with pearl sugar or coarse sparkling sugar.

11. To bake the braids: Uncover the braids and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

12. Store any leftovers, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage. Reheat (or thaw and reheat) briefly before enjoying

    Tips from our Bakers

    Use homemade or store-bought lemon curd, your choice. If making your own curd, try our Easy Microwave Lemon Curd or more traditional stovetop Lemon Curd, both of which yield a delicious result. Either recipe makes more than enough filling for this braid; refrigerate the extra and enjoy

    Change the filling in this recipe by substituting your favorite jam or preserves for the lemon curd. Raspberry jam, strawberry preserves, and apricot jam are all delicious; feel free to choose your own special favorite, though.

    Lemon Curd

    

Ingredients

1 cup (227g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup (198g) sugar
8 tablespoons (113g) butter, melted
2 large eggs

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl. To avoid bubble-overs, the contents should fill no more than 1/4 of the bowl; an 8-cup measure works well here.

Microwave the ingredients in 1-minute increments, removing from the oven and stirring to combine after each minute.

When curd starts to thicken; coats the back of a spoon; and starts to mound a bit as you stir, it's done. This will take anywhere from 4 to 10 minutes, depending on the strength/power of your microwave. The curd's temperature should have reached at least 185°F.

Stir the curd one more time. If you see any small bits of cooked egg white, pass the curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove them.
Perfect your technique

Spoon the curd into a storage container, and refrigerate until firm.

Keep curd refrigerated for up to 3 weeks; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

Lemon Curd
Four large, juicy lemons should be enough to yield 1 cup of juice.
For more intense flavor in your curd, grate the rind of 2 to 4 of the lemons, combine it with the sugar in a food processor, and process until rind is finely ground. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

Make a passion fruit version by using passion fruit purée or concentrate in place of the lemon juice.

Looking for a more traditional version of this recipe? Try our Lemon Curd, which is cooked on the stovetop and thickens more slowly. No microwave needed!