Braided Lemon Bread

Ingredients

Sponge

• 6 ounces Warm Water
• 2 Tsps Sugar
• 1 tbsp Instant Yeast
• 2 ounces Unbleached All Purpose Flour

Dough

• 6 ounces Vanilla Yogurt
• 4 ounces Unsalted Butter softened
• 2 Large Eggs 33
• 3 1/2 ounces Sugar
• 2 Tsps Table Salt
• 2 Tsps Vanilla or Vanilla Nut Butter Flavoring
• 4 1/2 - 5 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour Uncl

Egg Wash

• 1 Egg beaten
• 2 Tsps Water
• Pinch Table Salt

Topping

• Coarse Sugar or Pearl Sugar

Filling

• 5 ounces Cream Cheese softened
• 1 3/4 ounces Sugar
• 2 ounces Sour Cream
• 2 Tsps Lemon Juice
• 1 ounce Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 4 ounces Lemon Curd

Optionally

• Fresh Fruit - Blueberries, Strawberries, etc

Directions

1. In a small bowl combine the sponge ingredients. Stir well to combine, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to proof for 10-15 minutes.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the sponge, yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and flavoring. Add 4 1/2 cups of flour and mix with paddle attachment until the dough is a rough, shaggy mass. Switch to the dough hook and knead on speed 2 until a soft smooth dough forms, about 5-6 minutes, adding more flour if needed to achieve the correct consistency.
3. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes, until quite puffy and nearly doubled.
4. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Combine all the filling ingredients in a small bowl until lump free. Set aside.
5. Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Cover 1/2 with plastic wrap and set aside. Roll out first piece into 10″x15″ rectangle on top of parchment paper (important!). Lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise to divide it into 3 equal sections. Spread 1/2 of the filling  down the center section. If you are using fruit – add on top of filling.
6. To form mock braid, cut 1″ horizontal strips down the length of the outside sections, making sure you have the same number on both sides. Remove the top piece on each side and the bottom piece. Fold the remaining top middle piece up over the dough and then starting on the left lift the dough section gently and bring it across the filling diagonally. Repeat on the other side with the top dough strip, so the two strips crisscross each other. continue down the bread until you are at the last two. Flip the remaining middle bottom piece over the middle and continue. Tuck any overhanging bottom strips over the bottom fold and under the braid.
7. Repeat for other section of dough.
8. Set both aside and lightly cover to rise for 45-50 minutes or until quite  puffy.
9. Preheat oven to 375. Brush loaves with egg wash (lightly beaten egg, 2 t. water and pinch salt) and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until loaves are golden brown. Remove and cool 15 minutes.

From King Arthur Flours Blog