SWEET CHEESE FILLING
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg white
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons lemon peel
1 cup raisins
CRUMB TOPPING
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
DOUGH
5 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour (5 1/2 to 6 cups)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 packages Fleischmann's® Rapid Rise Yeast
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs, at room temperature
Servings: 20 / Yield: 2 Cakes
1. Prepare Sweet Cheese Filling and Crumb Topping.
Sweet Cheese Filling: Beat 2 packages softened cream cheese with sugar and 1 egg white until smooth. Stir in flour, lemon peel and raisins. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Crumb Topping: Combine flour and sugar. Stir in softened butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly.
2. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. Heat water and butter until very warm, 120º to 130ºF. Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.*
3. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll one piece to 12- × 7-inches. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Starting at short side, spread 1/3 prepared filling down center third of rectangle length. Cut 1-inch wide strips along both sides of filling, cutting from filling out to edges of dough. Fold strips at an angle across filling, alternating from side to side. Sprinkle with 1/3 prepared topping.
4. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; place in freezer. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, filling and topping to make 3 braids. When firm, remove each braid from baking sheet, wrap with plastic wrap and place in freezer bag or wrap in foil. Keep frozen up to 4 weeks.
5. Remove from freezer; unwrap and place on ungreased baking sheets. Let stand, covered loosely with plastic wrap, at room temperature until fully thawed, about 2 hours. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
6. Bake at 375ºF for 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with foil to prevent excess browning; bake additional 10 to 15 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
Notes: *To bake immediately: Follow directions through kneading step, then if:
Made with Active Dry Yeast: After kneading, place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Shape, fill and place on greased baking sheets as directed. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Bake and cool as directed.
Made with Rapid Rise Yeast: Cover kneaded dough, let rest 10 minutes. Shape, fill and place on greased baking sheets as directed. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Bake and cool as directed.
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg white
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons lemon peel
1 cup raisins
CRUMB TOPPING
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
DOUGH
5 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour (5 1/2 to 6 cups)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 packages Fleischmann's® Rapid Rise Yeast
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs, at room temperature
Servings: 20 / Yield: 2 Cakes
1. Prepare Sweet Cheese Filling and Crumb Topping.
Sweet Cheese Filling: Beat 2 packages softened cream cheese with sugar and 1 egg white until smooth. Stir in flour, lemon peel and raisins. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Crumb Topping: Combine flour and sugar. Stir in softened butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly.
2. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. Heat water and butter until very warm, 120º to 130ºF. Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.*
3. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll one piece to 12- × 7-inches. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Starting at short side, spread 1/3 prepared filling down center third of rectangle length. Cut 1-inch wide strips along both sides of filling, cutting from filling out to edges of dough. Fold strips at an angle across filling, alternating from side to side. Sprinkle with 1/3 prepared topping.
4. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; place in freezer. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, filling and topping to make 3 braids. When firm, remove each braid from baking sheet, wrap with plastic wrap and place in freezer bag or wrap in foil. Keep frozen up to 4 weeks.
5. Remove from freezer; unwrap and place on ungreased baking sheets. Let stand, covered loosely with plastic wrap, at room temperature until fully thawed, about 2 hours. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
6. Bake at 375ºF for 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with foil to prevent excess browning; bake additional 10 to 15 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
Notes: *To bake immediately: Follow directions through kneading step, then if:
Made with Active Dry Yeast: After kneading, place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Shape, fill and place on greased baking sheets as directed. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Bake and cool as directed.
Made with Rapid Rise Yeast: Cover kneaded dough, let rest 10 minutes. Shape, fill and place on greased baking sheets as directed. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Bake and cool as directed.
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