Lemon scented pull apart bread

My final entry (for this week, anyway) in my zesting endeavors--lemon pull apart bread. I've made the cinnamon version (you can find photos in my food album on Facebook) but held off on the lemon version because it requires so much zest. However, large quantities of zest, as you are now very well aware, is no longer an issue for me.

This bread.. oh, it's wonderful. It's yeasty and it's lemony and it's light and it's toasty on the outside. The smell of the citrus, the glint of the sandy citrus sugar, the indelible nutty smell of browned butter.. This is a warm smell for a day of baking when it's snowing outside.

You start out with a yeasted dough. It's left alone to rise, punched down, rolled out, slathered in butter, covered in citrus sugar, cut into strips, cut into squares, stacked, left to rise again, baked, and then drizzled with a cream cheese frosting. This may seem like a lot of work. Maybe. But it's so totally worth it.

I live in a very old house. Its hundredth birthday was a couple years ago, actually. Drafty, cold. So my yeast breads always get put next to the baseboard heater in my room to rise. Shut the door, leave the room, check on it like it's a napping child. One day, though, I have a feeling the dough will take on a life of its own and take over my room.

Or not? Ahem. Anyway.

Back to the recipe! I started out with the lemon version but found I needed to refer back to the cinnamon version for better dough directions. When I was making the dough, the lemon version said to knead it until it was no longer sticky. That never happened and as a result, I think I added in too much flour. I thankfully checked the cinnamon version recipe, though, which just has you leave the mixed dough to rise. Otherwise I think I would have added much more flour. The two dough ingredient lists are the same, the directions are just different.

The recipe below is a combination of the two versions.

Oh! By the way. I used browned butter on the dough. Just because I can.

Lemon and orange zest, just hanging out. No big deal.

Naked fruit. Hehe. Poor things.

Sandy, fragrant citrus sugar

Indescribable.

Lemon Scented Pull Apart Bread

Adapted from Joy the Baker and 17 and Baking

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

Lemon Sugar Filling

• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (3 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

Tangy Cream Cheese Icing

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup (1 1/4 ounces) powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large mixing 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 degrees 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, Mix the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest. It’ll draw out the citrus oils and make the sugar sandy and fragrant. Set aside. Melt 2 ounces of butter until browned. Set aside. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.

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. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the lemon sugar mixture. Use it all :) Lightly press the sugar into the dough to get it to stick a little bit more.

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 a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. 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.Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Don't let it cool too long, or the frosting won't get all melty into the nooks and crannies of the bread.

Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth, then add the milk and lemon juice. Stir until creamy and smooth.

Carefully ran a knife around the loaf. Flip the loaf over onto a cooling rack, then flip onto another rack so that it’s right side up. Spread the top of the warm cake with the cream cheese icing, using a pastry brush to fill in all the cracks.

Eat warm or at room temperature.