Over at the Fresh Loaf, a recipe for blueberry cream cheese braid caught my eye. Blueberries from Louisiana’s sandy-soil Florida Parishes are in season in late July, and my latest pint of Folsom berries tasted too tart for snacking (though the acidity was perfect for the cooked filling of the braid).
The recipe calls for a sweet, yeasted dough, mixed and fermented for a couple of hours on the first day, then rolled, filled, proofed, & baked on the second day. The split time schedule is ideal for summer baking, maximizing the use of the kitchen in the cooler evening and early morning hours. The second day’s work takes just 10 minutes of active time, 30 minutes of proofing time, and 35-40 minutes of baking: short enough to squeeze in before heading off to work or play. An added bonus: it’s a gorgeous bread, with an easy foldover shaping simple enough for a novice.
Sounds like a danish dough. I have made danish a number of times out of Julia Child baking bood
This dough is a little lighter & less sweet than my usual danish dough–less butter & sugar. If I made it again, I’d probably skip the cream cheese filling and add a little lemon or orange zest to the dough.