Pistachio Chai Muffins

Chai chai chai!



For the muffins:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed medium brown sugar

1/2 cup caster (white) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tea bags blended chai tea, opened
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
1 large egg
cooking spray (or oil)
1/3 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios, chopped

For the drizzle:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Next, prepare the chai. Use scissors to open the tea bags and add it to the flour mix. If the tea is coarse rather than fine, pulse in a food processor prior to adding it to the flour mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg, buttermilk, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until just combined.

Spoon the batter into greased or lined muffin cups. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over top. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the muffins cool, make the icing. Blend together the powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon water. Drizzle over top of the muffins.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Pumpkin bread with almond streusel

BROMA IS BACK. It was a long and bake-less summer in Manhattan, where I worked at a restaurant with some of the best people I've ever had the opportunity to work with (if you're in the NYC area, you must eat here). It was awesome and I so wish I could've stayed there, but my scholarly life must go on. So back to Ann Arbor for my senior year I go. I'm living once again with 6 boys on the rowing team in a new house with an old kitchen. Nonetheless I'm ready to bust shit out. And my housemates here are ridiculously good at cooking/baking, and they have a KitchenAid. 

So without further adieu, I will jump right into some fall recipes, starting with this incredible pumpkin bread. Even though I'm a chocolate girl through and through, I could definitely eat this bread every day of my life and die happy. Hope you enjoy Part II of Broma Bakery, more to come soon!

For the bread:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree

6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the streusel:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1 cup chopped, lightly toasted almonds

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a medium-sized loaf pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the pieces of butter, and using a pastry cutter, or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs have formed. Mix in the toasted almonds.

Then, in a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, powder, salt, sugar, and spices. In a seperate bowl, cream the butter using an electric mixer on medium speed. Then add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Fold in the pumpkin puree. Gradually fold in the flour mixture in three additions, stirring between each. Pour half of the batter into the loaf pan, then top with about 1/3 of the streusel. Pour in the rest of the batter, then top with the remaining 2/3 of the streusel.

Bake for 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and serve!

Estonian kringle

How pretty is it?! So pretty. Now down to logistics. Here's the deal. I used the original recipe from Just Love Cookin for this dough, but found it to be  pretty dense and not as soft as I like. So I have the original recipe at the end of the post, but decided to post my go-to pull-apart loaf recipe because it's so much more light and airy. It makes the same type of dough, so if you prefer a softer bread like me, use the recipe below; if you decide you want a denser bread that doesn't rise as much but is still bread-y, go for the original recipe from Just Love Cookin.

For the Dough:

2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125°F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.

At this point, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. 

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.

Roll the dough into a log so it stays 20-inches long. Using a large knife, cut the log in half length-wise. Braid the two halves together, keeping the inner dough layers exposed and the thickest outer layer facing the pan (confused? see the Just Love Cookin photo post, linked at the end of this recipe). 

Place the braid on a cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the braid to loosen the bread. Serve warm on a plate or platter.

Original recipe from Just Love Cookin
This recipe from Joy the Baker

Cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread

This bread is irresistible. Can't you tell? The top left corner is eaten off in the photo because I had to test for done-ness. Then the crew boys- wait I'm supposed to call them men- started whining if you can eat it now we want to, too. So we had many taste-testers tasting before it was even out of the oven. I die.

Hands down the best thing I've made all month.

Update: It's two days later and I'm still thinking about it. Of course it was a short-lived bread. Gone in, oh, 4 hours? Regardless...

Makes one 9x5x3-inch loaf

For the Dough:

2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar filling:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from the heat and add water and vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until the mixture registers 115 to 125°F.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it’ll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together. Keep stirring. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of flour and stir with the spatula for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That’s just right.

Place the dough is a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour. The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you’re using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.

While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.

At this point, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons of flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can’t get the dough to 20-inches long… that’s okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.

Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the center may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the center is cooked as well.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board. Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the upside down loaf, and carefully invert so it’s right side up. Serve warm with coffee or tea.

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker

Banana bread

This banana bread is denser than most, so it takes a long time to bake and the end product is fairly filling (and delicious!). And lowfat. What? Negating that fact, it makes for a great breakfast when toasted and slathered in butter! I also made an alternative loaf mixed in with 1 cup of chocolate chips, which the boys loved. You could add walnuts, too! Endless possibilities...


For the bread:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup medium brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 overripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

yahmmmm

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, blend butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs and bananas. Mix in dry ingredients, then add in buttermilk.

Bake in a buttered loaf pan for 45-60 minutes (oven temperatures will vary).

Wildberry croissant bread pudding

I have a lot of trouble being still. Lying down, sitting in a chair, standing in a line; you name it. Tanning is especially hard. On top of my Irish complexion (thanks, Italian genes. why did you fail me?), the act of tanning has always been really difficult for me. But obviously I try. I try really hard. Every time I go to the backyard and lay down my towel I tell myself this will be the time. It's like some sort of pep talk or something. This will be the time that I learn to appreciate the joys of mindlessly laying still, in the sun, getting my glow on, tanning.

And I fail every time. The first minute, maybe two, I'm ok. I say to myself ok, this is totally doable. Relax, Sar. But, no. Fail. Suddenly my mind is racing through this, that, and the other thing. I wonder if the new episode of Weeds went up online yet... Ooh, wouldn't it be fun to learn that Regina Spektor song on piano?... I wonder what color I should paint my nails next...... It's horrible! I just can't do it!

Obviously today I tried to lay out. It's such a gorgeous day who wouldn't want to just chill in the sun? Well, apparently not I. Five minutes in and I'm thinking about what I can bake next for the blog. Two minutes later and I'm in my car going to the grocery store in search of some croissants and a can of sweetened condensed milk.


4 large croissants (or 8 mini croissants)
1/2 cup wildberry (or any other berry you prefer) preserves
3 large eggs
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Teensy dash cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

Cut croissants in half lengthwise. Spread about 1 tablespoon of preserves on each half. Replace tops, and cut croissants into small strips. Place strips in baking pan. Dab remaining preserves on top.

Whisk eggs, then whisk in milk, water, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour mixture over croissants. Press croissants into liquid if necessary. Let set for 5 minutes.

Bake until a knife or pick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 45 minutes). Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar or whipped cream, if desired.


Recipe adapted from Smucker's.

Monkey bread tulips

... are quite possibly the cutest little guys out there. I have to admit, they're not too photogenic, but I can't convey enough how amazing they are. Mom rarely likes a recipe that's not her own Katharine Canfield Cookies or the occasional brownies. But this time she actually took the time to proof her own batch of dough and we made the recipe a second time together (yes, aww so cute mother/daughter bonding). They are surprisingly easy for a yeasted recipe and we super enjoyed them. I have to say, it's a Top 5 Broma Recipe right here. Yessir.

Also, I totally owe credit to Sofra because they gave me the idea based on their morning buns, which are out of this world.....


Makes 12 tulips

For the dough:

1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)
1/3 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package instant (rapid rise) yeast
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for surface work
2 teaspoons salt

For the coating:

2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk 

Note: I got my tulip molds from work. If you can't find them at your baking specialty amazing everything store, normal cupcake molds will do just fine!

Place rack in middle-low position of your oven, making sure that there are no racks placed above it. Spray bundt pan generously with nonstick spray.

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix milk, water, melted butter, sugar and yeast. Place flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the dough hook attachment to mix them together. With machine on low, slowly add the milk mixture. When the dough begins to come together, increase speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough is shiny and smooth. If the dough is too wet and isn’t coming together, add 2 to 4 additional Tablespoons of flour (stop the machine once to scrape sides if you need to); this should take 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work with your hands a little bit to form a smooth, round ball. Coat a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place dough in the bowl and spray the top lightly with nonstick spray as well. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel. Turn your oven on 400 degrees and let it warm up for 1 minute. Turn it OFF. Turn ON the oven light. Place your covered bowl of dough into the warmed oven until the dough doubles in size- 50 to 60 minutes.

When dough is almost done rising, prepare the ooey gooey coating. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, melt the butter. Set aside.

Remove dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into an 8-inch square. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 256 pieces (cut the square into 4 pieces and then cut each piece into 16 pieces. Further cut those pieces into 4 pieces). Roll each piece into a ball and place on a large cookie sheet. Douse the cookie sheet in the melted butter and, using your hands, roll the butter evenly so each piece is coated. Then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the buttered balls, again spreading things evenly until each ball is coated in a healthy dose of butter and sugar. Evenly distribute the balls into 12 buttered cupcake molds. (If you can find tulip molds at the store, more power to you. Just give them a quick spray with oil and you're ready to go!) Cover the cupcake pan with a clean dish towel, and place back into the warmed oven to let the dough balls rise for another 50 to 60 minutes (they should get puffy and rise almost to the top of the pan.)

Remove the pan from the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the dishtowel. Bake about 30 minutes, until the top has browned and ooey gooey caramel is bubbling around the edges. Cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Let sit in cupcake pan for a few more minutes to cool slightly before glazing.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to mix powdered sugar and milk. Continue to mix until lumps are gone (scrape sides of the mixing bowl, if needed). Spoon glaze over the top and sides of the monkey bread.


Serve warm and eat with your bare hands!
Recipe adapted from Recipe Girl

Tahini Toast!

Manager Heather's boyfriend Finn is obsessed with Sofra's tahini toast. So when they discontinued it two months ago he was devastated, to say the least. Then one day I received this Facebook message from Finn:

               "Tahini toast. I've been a bit crestfallen since Sofra discontinued
               this. If you ever happen across the recipe and decide that you'd
               like to go into business selling it -- the toast, I mean, not the 

               recipe -- then I will be your first through fifth customers.

               Think about it.

               -Finn"

How could I resist that? I had to make it. So I went to Thao the Baker and got the recipe (sidenote: Thao the Baker is awesome). Heather picked up some Tahin Helvasi, and I made a trip to Iggy's to get the best loaf of brioche I could find, and voila! Tahini toast! It's great because it appeals to the sweet-lover, the salty-snacker, and everyone in-between. It's carb-y and sugar-y and filled with protein (ok maybe not filled, but at least it's got something...) and and AND it's a straight-up Sofra recipe! Come on, now, how often do you get to make something from a Sofra recipe. Never, I bet. So here's to toast!

Makes 8 slices

For the tahini spread:

1/2 cup tahini halva (like this Tahin Helvasi)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter
2 eggs

For the bread:

1 pullman loaf of brioche bread

For the simple syrup:

2 cups sugar
2 cups water

For the topping:

3/4 cup sesame seeds
confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Cut the brioche into slices, about 1 1/2 inches thick. A standard-sized loaf will produce about 8 of these big slices. Set aside.

In a medium pot, combine water and sugar for your simple syrup. The syrup will be ready when the sugar crystals dissolve completely into the water. Allow to cool slightly.

In a food processor, combine the halva, sugar, flour, salt, butter, and eggs until combined. Set aside.

Using a cup measurer, pour 1/4 cup of simple syrup onto each slice of bread, coating the bread evenly. Next, spoon about 3 tablespoons of tahini spread onto each slice, again spreading evenly to coat. Last, sprinkle the entirety of the sesame seeds over each slice. Bake on a well-greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for another ~30 minutes, as needed. The goal is to get both sides nicely toasty and golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack, then sprinkle with the confectioner's sugar and serve!

Cinnamon twisties

I love cinnabuns. And these are like cinnabuns but in twisty form, which makes them like four and a half times more fun to eat. Let's do it!

Makes about 14 twists

For the dough:

4 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

For the filling:

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Milk

In a large bowl stir together 1 ½ cups of flour and the yeast; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat and stir ¾ cup milk, sugar, 1/3 cup butter and salt until mixture is warm and butter almost melts. Add to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface; cover. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 2 hours).

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or coat them with cooking spray; set aside. Roll dough into a rectangle.

In a small saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over low heat. Add brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; mix well. Cool slightly and spread mixture evenly over dough. Cut dough crosswise into 1-inch strips. Fold each strip in half, end to end, and twist several times. Arrange twists 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (45 minutes).

Bake in preheated oven (375F) for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and enough milk (2-3 tablespoons) to make of drizzling consistency. Whisk until smooth and drizzle over rolls when warm.

Recipe from Pip and Ebby!

Call me a regular bread maker...

Various unsuccessful attempts at bread-baking over the course of my childhood caused me to become very of any recipe calling for yeast. Nervous that it will turn out horribly, I shy away from yeasty baked goods, although they tend to be the best kind (who doesn't want bread and sugar melded together in perfect harmony?). However, one day I came across this recipe for english muffins and decided to tuck them away in my recipe book, somewhat anxiously anticipating the day that I would chose to take on a yeast-related recipe. Today was that day. I woke up and decided to take on the morning with these english muffkies (as my dad calls them). And you know what? Not only were they super easy, but they tasted like real english muffins! Just as good as Pepperidge Farms or Thomas'. They were airy and delish,  cut in half easily, and they even looked like the real thing! With my new found confidence I think I might just take on the world. Or at least another yeasty recipe...


Makes 6 english muffkies

For the muffkies;

2 1/4 cup bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons  sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon shortening (such as Crisco)
3/4 cup buttermilk (plus 1/4 cup)
Cornmeal

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add shortening and 3/4 cup buttermilk and mix with a hand mixer or in your stand mixer. Add extra 1/4-cup buttermilk, a little at a time, until dough comes together.

Knead dough by hand for 10 minutes or in the stand mixer for 8 minutes. If using a stand mixer, knead the last minute by hand. The dough should be tacky, but not sticky. Oil a medium bowl and place dough inside. Turn dough in bowl to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let dough sit until doubled in size (about 60 to 90 minutes).

Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape pieces into balls, spray with oil, and sprinkle cornmeal on both sides before placing on prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let the muffins rise for about an hour.

Heat a griddle to medium heat and preheat oven to 350°F. Add muffins to the griddle and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Place muffins in the oven and bake for an additional 6 minutes. Allow muffins to cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy with butter and jam!

Recipe from The Bread Baker's Apprentice via Wilde in the Kitchen.

Lemon-scented pull-apart loaf

This morning my sister Rebe and I made this loaf instead of getting out of the house and going to a "real" bakery. And I will say I never thought homemade bread could make me feel so happy/jolly. As we sat at the table, pulling apart piece after piece of yum, we concluded that we couldn't have gotten a better breakfast at a bakery. "We're going to Broma Bakery today," said Rebe. I mean, the bread in itself is out-of-this-world-good. It's light and airy and has a lemon-y tang. Then the lemon cream cheese icing builds on the tang, and also balances the doughiness of the bread, making it moist and sweet. And who can resist ripping apart a perfect square of sweet bread? It's like a gimmick to eat more. Rebe and I certainly couldn't stop ourselves.

For the dough:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the filling:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Zest of 3 lemons

Zest of 1 orange
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

For the icing: 

1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt using a rubber spatula. Meanwhile, melt the milk and butter until the butter is melted. Then, add the vanilla and the water and let sit until mixture is lukewarm. Once the dry ingredients are moistened, pour in the warm milk/butter mixture. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the dough on low speed while adding the eggs, one at a time. Stop the mixing, add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour, and turn the mixer on low again for about 30 seconds. Add two more tablespoons of flour, and mix for another 30-45 seconds. At this point the dough will be very sticky, but don't worry!

Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough gently until it is no longer sticky. If needed, add another 1-2 tablespoons of flour. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm, dry place for 45-60 minutes, until the dough nearly doubles in size. The dough is ready when you poke it and your finger print stays indented.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon and orange zest with the sugar. Set aside.

Once the dough is risen, pat it down and roll it out into a 20"x12" rectangle (do measure this out, because it is important for all your dough pieces to be the same size). If your dough isn't even, use a pizza cutter to cut a perfect rectangle. Spread the melted butter (set aside for the filling) onto the dough, and make sure to use it all! Next sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the dough, rubbing the sugar mixture into the dough. Then, cut the dough into five equal 4"x12" strips. Set each strip on top of each other, so you end up with five stacked 4"x12" strips. Cut the strips into six 2"x4" rectangles. 

Transfer the rectangles to the dough pan so they stand up with the cut end face up, side by side. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an additional 30-50 minutes. 

Bake the loaf in a greased 9"x5" bread pan in a 350°F oven for 40 minutes, until the top of the loaf is golden brown. Once baked, transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.

While the loaf is baking, combine the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth in consistency. Pour over the warm loaf and fill in the cracks with icing. Mangia!

From Baking For All Occasions via 17 and Baking