When I first had the #25recipestoXmas idea I thought I’d share a week filled with holiday loaves of bread. Nothing wrong with it, right? As the time was approaching I got to a conclusion, no matter how to name the holiday bread, they are very similar.
For example Romanian have they Christmas bread Cozonac most of the time filled with fried fruit, nuts, poppy seeds. Italian Panettone is packed with dried fruit. German Stollen is jam-packed with dried fruit and most of the times marzipan. Greek Christopsomo is made usually with walnuts and raisins. Finish Pulla has cardamon and dried fruit. Czech Vánočka is filled with fried fruit. American holiday bread is usually packed with dried cranberries and nuts and let’s not forget the fruit cake.
Do you see where I’m going? All of them have dried fruit and/or nuts and, except the Greek Christopsomo, they are all sweet.
It was time to change things a little bit up. I wanted to make a sweet bread, filled with dried fruit but I wanted it light and fluffy, like a brioche without the extra eggs and butter. And I cam up with not one, but two amazing bread recipes that will stay soft even after few days. They are light, brioche like fluffy and just a little sweet but with the help of cream cheese and Greek yogurt.
Today we’ll talk about the cream cheese bread recipe. I remembered the cheese buns I shared last year that the cheese gives the bread a little moisture and makes it pillow-y soft. With 4 packages of cream cheese in the fridge it was time to do some baking.
With a little patience after a couple of hours I pulled out of the oven three little loaves which I immediately brushed with butter. Who doesn’t love a buttery crust?
The bread turned out way better than I hoped. And since I baked them in the bake-and-give loaf pans I received from King Arthur Flour they made a wonderful gifts for tow of my friends.
Sweet,soft and brioche like fluffy bread made with cream cheese and packed with dried fruit.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) King Arthur bread flour
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) lukewarm water
- 2 tsp dry yeast
- 2 oz (56 grams) room temperature cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
- 2/3 cup King Arthur dried fruit blend
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups (360 grams) King Arthur bread flour
- 2/3 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tbsp butter (for brushing)
- powder sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add 1/4 cup bread flour, 1/3 cup lukewarm water and the yeast. Mix to combine and leave at room temperature for about 5 minutes until the mixture foams and it's almost double in volume.
- Add the cream cheese, egg, sugar, salt and dried fruit.
- With the dough hook on start mixing adding the remaining water and slowly the remaining 3 cups of bread flour.
- When all the flour is added increase the mixer speed to medium and let it knead the dough for 2-3 minutes. The dough should be soft and elastic and cleans itself from the sides of the bowl.
- With greased hands take the dough out and place it into a greased bowl. Cover with plastic foil and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour until doubled in volume.
- When risen, divide the dough in three, shape each piece into a log and place the mini-loaves into 3 greased paper baking pans.
- Cover again with plastic wrap and leave to rise for 25-30 more minutes.
- In the meantime, heat the oven to 375F.
- Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes or until the smell of fresh break is talking over your kitchen.
- As soon as you remove the loaves form the oven brush them with butter.
- Leave to cool before dusting with powder sugar.
For other Christmas treats check out #25recipestoXmas. You can also see the gallery on Pinterest or on Google+
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King Arthur Flour didn’t send me flour just for my holiday baking, but for your holiday baking as well! I love baking with King Arthur Flour, their bread flour is the best I’ve ever baked with. If you love bread baking as much as I do, than this giveaway is for you. You can also browse though their holiday gift ideas and take advantage of their $3 shipping and even get a $10 gift card when you spend $60 or more!
To enter the giveaway, use the rafflecopter form below. Please complete the mandatory entry, otherwise all other entries will not be valid.
The giveaway is sponsored by King Arthur Flour. I’ve received free products to use for my holiday baking but the opinions are all mine.
The giveaway is open until December 25th at 11:59 p.m. EST. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. Be sure a valid email address is included with your mandatory comment. Winner will be announced on this post. I will email the winner and if the winner doesn’t respond in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!
Sending love your way,
Roxana
{ 62 comments… read them below or add one }
This bread looks super fluffy indeed. I would really like to try it. Is the recipe the same as your Cheese Buns minus the other cheeses? Thanks!
Never mind. I just saw the recipe, which didn’t appear visible earlier. Will try this soon. Yum!!
Hi Hanna,
I had some technical problems earlier with the recipe form showing up. It’s solved now.
Anyhow I just saw you’re having a monthly baking challenge on your blog. What book do you have in mind for 2013? I’d love to join you!
Roxana
Hi Roxana,
Thanks for letting me know about the technical glitch. I started to think that it was simply too early and that I hadn’t fully woken up yet, haha.
Yes, my group ABC is a monthly baking group. You’re going to love it. For a little twist, we chose a recipe website this time instead of a book. We’re baking from http://www.KingArthurFlour.com!!! Isn’t that exciting? I love their products and their recipes, so this is perfect!
I’m actually in the process of updating the ABC blog and posting the first 2-3 recipes for 2013. Stay tuned! In the meantime, I’m sending you the ABC badge and I will also add you to the blog roll. Unless you tell me otherwise, I will assume you’re “in”
) We love having you. I really like your blog!
Can’t wait to make the Cream Cheese Dried Fruit Bread. I love fluffy bread and so does my husband.
Happy baking!
Hanaa
HanaasKitchen.blogspot.com
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For quick breads, banana bread is a favorite. For yeast breads, my favorite is potato bread, although I make rye bread more often.
I’m your friend, right? Just sayin’. You have all those loves of bread sitting there.
My favorite yeast bread is honey wheat but I could easily eat a loaf of that gorgeous bread up there.
Good morning Christiane!
Congratulations! You’re the winner to the King Arthur Giveaway! Please send me an email with your address.
Yay! So happy the flour it will be in good hands!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve never baked with King Arthur so I’m very, very excited about this.
My favorite bread to make is a no-knead bread that is baked in a cast iron dutch oven. It has a crunchy crust, but a soft, delicious interior. My husband loves this bread! And King Arthur bread flour would be perfect for it!
My favorite bread to make is anything with yeast in it! Dilly bread, potatoe bread, cinnamon rolls. Make a lot of bread!
My favorite bread to make at home is cinnamon rolls. I know it is not really a bread, but it is so yummy and my whole family loves them.
Love to make Stollen at the holidays.
I used King Arthur flour yesterday when I made homemade pizza dough. I love it!
I make a lot of different kinds of bread but the simple sourdough is always a huge hit.
I have a bread machine that I use a lot..I can no longer mix the bread by hand but I try all different ones, never the same..my husband is going through chemo right now and he has no appetite so I try to find recipes that will tempt him…this looks like a great recipe..we both love fruit filled breads. I wonder if I can adapt this for the bread machine…
This bread looks so good, Roxana! I can’t wait to try it. I love making cinnamon rolls.
I just make crusty white breads for sandwiches, now.
Yay for homemade bread!
I have always loved dried fruit breads. They take me back to my childhood when my grandmother often made them. But there was no cream cheese in them. That sounds delicious.
I love making rolls!!
My favorite bread to make at home is garlic herb cheese bread but I have added this to my must make list. Sounds delicious!
My favourite bread is definitely monkey bread.
I make a light wheat bread every few days at home. This bread of yours looks yummy; I’m going to try it.
Chocolate chip banana bread!
Your bread looks so soft and light!
I love making focaccia bread at home (made some yesterday)
This looks SOOO incredibly addicting. WOW!
This recipe looks yummy!! I love King Arthur products.
your breads always leave my jaw open in awe. this bread looks soooooo fluffy!
It look so delicious.Love it very much.Perfect for the holidays!!!
I love making Italian bread!
My favorite bread to make at home is pizza dough!
A question – do you think I could make this bread in the new breadmaker that I got for Christmas?!
(I was told to open it early and did so happily! No peeking here!)
Hi Michele,
I have never used a bread machine. I’m pretty sure you can make it in the breadmachine, just follow the instruction for your breadmachine.
Roxana
I’m dying to try your recipe with King Arthur Flour! Cream cheese, fruit and bread? How could you go wrong?! And when you add King Arthur Flour to that mix, the outcome is bound to be amazing!
PS my favorite bread ever has got to be a fresh warm loaf of banana nut bread!
pumpkin bread with chocolate chips
Italian bread is my favorite!
GF buttermilk bread, or to give as gifts to our neighbors this Christmas we are making no-knead artisan bread in 5 minutes
I love the texture of this bread and the dried fruit certainly makes it festive! I must try it!
Chai banana bread!
Can I use whole wheat pastry flour or AP flour instead? This bread looks absolutely amazing!
Hi Jacqueline,
You can use all purpose flour, you might have to add a little bit more water, depending on your flour.
Roxana
I make a lot of different kinds of breads often, my favorite is Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese and Garlic Loaf. This bread is to die for and I would love to win so I can lots more.
cjbrick@ymail.com
I’ve never met a bread I didn’t like!
This looks so delicious, will have to try these recipes soon!!
I just love your recipes!!! I love king Arthur flour.
I love yeast rolls
Admittedly I am not the most proficient bread/bun baker but I love to make Gouda cheese buns, cinnamon buns and dinner rolls.
You make the BEST breads! Your house I bet always smells like a bakery which I am sure makes your family smile along with the neighbors!
Artisan Bread!
I actually love quick breads as you can have them any time of the day and they are so easy! I am a huge fan of King Arthur Flour and use many of their products Thank you and Merry Christmas
http://www.nycstylelittlecannoli.com
Love making banana bread!
What a lovely holiday loaf! And I love your cutting board!
my favorite is a seedy oatmeal bread….use it daily for sandwiches
I just love homemade bread its the best any kind
I like making sourdough with my KAF starter. It also makes great soft pretzels.
I love to make Almond Poppy Seed Bread!
I love herb bread
My favorite bread to make is called Butcha,it is a Bohemian Bread that is similar to most Xmas Breads. Has raisins in it and it is devine toasted.
Zucchini and pumpkin are our favorites.
I love to make pumpkin bread!
I’ve wanted to bake all your holiday breads you’ve shared…I can’t get enough of them. This is a beauty, Roxy!
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