Ingredients
- 1 pound Amish-Style Milk Bread dough (see recipe below)
- 3/4 cup Raspberry Jam
Ingredients for Ricotta Chocolate Chip Filling
- 2 ounces Ricotta cheese
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- Egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water) for brushing on top of braid
Ingredients for Raspbery Icing
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 raspberry
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream (maybe more to reach proper consistency)
Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 6 ounces raspberries for garnish
- 1/4 cup Mini Chocolate Chips for garnish
Ingredients for Amish-Style Milk Bread (Makes four 1-pound loaves)
- 2 ½ cups Whole milk
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Granulated yeast
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 6 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Potato flour
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
DIRECTIONS:
To Make the Ricotta Cheese Filling:
1. mix the ricotta, cream cheese, zest and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.
To Make the Braid:
1. Roll a 1-pound piece of dough into a 10 x 12-inch rectangle. Make sure to use enough flour that the dough doesn't stick to the surface or the rolling pin. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment.
2. Spread the cheese filling down the center of the dough, not more than 1 1/2 inches wide.
3. Top the cheese with about 3/4 cup of the raspberry jam.
4. Cut 1/2-inch-wide strips of dough with a pastry wheel down each side of the filling.
5. Lightly twist the top two strips of dough, then cross them over the filling. Do not pull the dough too thin or it may break as it rises and bakes.
6. Continue that same routine of twisting the pieces and crossing them over each other over the filling, until you are at the bottom. If you find an odd piece of the dough, that doesn't have a mate, just twist it and place it over the filling.
7. When you get to the end, tuck the loose ends under the loaf, so they are secure and won't pop out when baking.
8. Place the braid and parchment onto a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic and allow to rest for about 1½ hours.
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F
10. Just before baking, brush the loaf gently with the egg wash.
11. Bake the loaf for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.
12. Allow to cool before topping with the icing, ganache, berries and chips.
To Make the Icing:
1. mix the powdered sugar, raspberry and cream together in a small bowl. Once the braid is cool, drizzle with half the icing.
To Make the Ganache:
1. Heat the cream over medium heat until simmering. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips. Swirl the pan until the chips are covered in hot cream. Allow to sit for 3 minutes, then gently stir. Drizzle over the top of the cooled braid.
2. Sprinkle berries and mini chocolate chips over the still warm ganache, so they will stick.
To Amish-Style Milk Bread
1. Mixing and Storing the Dough: Mix the yeast, salt, and sugar with the milk in a 6-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Whisk the all-purpose flour with the potato flour. Mix the flours, eggs and butter with the milk mixture without kneading, using a dough whisk or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle).
3. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate.
4. The dough can be used as soon as it’s thoroughly chilled, about 4 hours. Refrigerate the container and use over the next 5 days. Or freeze the dough in one pound packets for up to 3 weeks.