Blueberry Braided Sweet Bread
This beautiful Blueberry Braided Sweet Bread is easier to make than you think! A delicious sweet bread filled with flavourful jam or fruit filling, baked to perfection and sprinkled with a bit of rock sugar. This is the perfect indulgent breakfast or brunch treat and simple enough to make right at home!
This braided bread really is as good as it sounds. You can adjust the sweetness of it by picking and choosing how sweet you want your filling. If you choose a jam with a high sugar content then your sweet bread will be sweeter than if you use a filling that isn’t as sweet.
You can alter the sweetness slightly to suit your tastes but overall this delicious blueberry sweetbread has the perfect balance of flavour texture and flavour.
This is a fancy looking bread that your guests will love but so simple even the kids can help you make it.
Enjoy this braided sweet bread warm or at room temperature with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Have it for an afternoon snack or for dessert and if you’re wanting to add a little extra layer of fun, why not add a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of yogurt on the side?!
Table of Contents
How to make it
Mix together the milk and a pinch of sugar in the stand mixer. Then sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit. Stir to combine and add the sugar, eggs, butter, salt, vanilla, and most of the flour.
With the hook, start to knead the dough and add the remaining flour a little at a time. Continue to knead until the dough forms a soft ball that is slightly sticky.
Place the dough in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft-free area (until doubled in bulk).
Punch the dough down and divide into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into an oval.
Spread each oval with some of the jam and some of the berries. Roll each oval up lengthwise (as tight as you can).
Join the ends of the 3 rolls and braid together.
Place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Cover and let rise. Pre-heat the oven.
Brush the loaf with an egg wash, sprinkle with sugar (I used rock sugar) and bake until golden brown. Be careful not to eat it right away, the filling will be very hot!
What is rock sugar?
Rock sugar is a more concentrated form of sugar crystal than regular sugar. It is also more coarse which means the sugar crystals are bigger and more candy-like. You can buy rock sugar and your local grocery store or bulk food store.
What other fillings can I use?
Any of your favourite jams will do! Strawberry, blackberry, or raspberry to name a few. Chocolate spread is another great choice, different fresh berries, cream cheese or even an apple pie filling would be nice.
This recipe for braided sweet bread can be used for so many flavour options.
How to store it
This braided sweetbread will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you do no keep it sealed it will become stale sooner rather than later. This bread is amazing eaten at room temperature however if you want to reheat for some warmth, pop it in the microwave or oven briefly, again being aware of the filling.
I hope you try this delicious Blueberry Braided Sweet Bread recipe and let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!
Blueberry Braided Sweet Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons milk (lukewarm 105F/40C, I used 2%) (220 grams)
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar (70 grams)
- 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons butter (91grams)
- 1 pinch salt*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (divided) (500-550 grams)
*If using unsalted butter then add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Remove eggs from the fridge 45 minutes before using.
FILLING
- 1/4-1/3 cup jam*
- 1 1/2-2 cups berries* (fresh or frozen / more or less)
*I used raspberry jam and blueberries, but you could use both blueberry jam and berries or raspberries or even blackberries, your choice.
Instructions
- In the stand up mixer, mix together the milk and a pinch of sugar, then sprinkle the yeast on top, let sit for 5 minutes then stir to combine. Add the sugar, eggs, butter, salt, vanilla and 3 cups of the flour. With the hook attachment start to knead, add the remaining flour a little at a time, continue to knead for about 5-6 minutes, until the dough forms a soft ball that is slightly sticky (do not add more flour). Place the dough in a greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours in a warm draft free area (until doubled in bulk).
- Punch the dough down and divide into 3 equal parts. Roll each part to a 4 1/2-5 x 14 inch (12 x 35cm) oval, spread each oval with 1/3 of the jam and 1/3 of the berries, roll the each oval up lengthwise (as tight as you can). Join the ends of the 3 rolls and braid together. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C).
- Brush the loaf with an egg wash, sprinkle with sugar (I used rock sugar) and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes. (At about the 20 minute mark if the loaf is browning too much, cover it with foil and continue to bake). Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
This site looks amazing and I can’t wait to try some of the bread recipes. At 74 years old, I am a new bread baker. I have baked cakes and cookies to perfection, over the years, but never could make bread that came out right so I gave up. Now that we can see how it is done, on the computer, I have had success with easy no knead breads but was afraid to try kneaded ones since that is what I failed at when I was younger since Ididn’t have any idea what I was doing. Now I let my stand mixer do the kneading and know what it should look like so I am ready to try lots of other recipes. I make a great back of the bag, King Arthur oatmeal bread but want to make this recipe with some sort of apple filling for my son who loves apple desserts. I am not sure what to use for the filling though, since I don’t want the apple filling to be too sweet. None of us have a sweet tooth and like our fillings just slightly sweet.
Hi Sabina, thanks so much, you could spread the dough with a mixture of 3-4 tablespoons of soft butter and 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (mixed together), then top it with chopped apples, if you picked a sweeter apple, such as a Jonagold, Honey crisp or even a Gala apple you probably wouldn’t need to add any sugar. Hope this helps let me know how it goes. And yes nothing like a stand up mixer to do the kneading. Take care.
I made this last night and it turned out great! It tastes really good. I made 4 rolls from the dough to try a four stranded plait, and it still turned out good. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Kendra, thanks so much so glad you liked the recipe. Have a great weekend.
I would like to try that recipe and use canned lemon pie filling, prepare it until it’s time to braid it, but cut it as if it was a cinnamon roll. I would put them in a pan to bake. How big you would recommend the pan be? Same temperature for the oven? Bake longer or same time? Thanks!
Hi Nathalie, I would think you would need a 9×13 inch pan. Same oven temperature but probably less time, about 20-25 minutes, I think would do it. Let me know how it goes. Sounds delicious.
Thank you for your reply. The kneading part is one off my problems though never know how much extra flour to use to stop the dough sticking to my hands. Will try though.
Hi Fay, instead of adding extra flour, dampen your hands it works the same way and you don’t over flour the dough.
Thanks for that hint Rosemary, never thought off that will try it.
You’re welcome. Let me know how it goes.
Rosemary , I love all of your recipes. Everyone I’ve tried has been successfull. This one looks delicious. I have to do some figuring as I have to always reduce the sugar for health purposes. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to each e-mail.
Hi Mary, thanks so much glad you like the recipe. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.
Do I have to use a mixer as I dont posses one can I do it by hand.
Hi Fay you can definitely make this recipe by hand, you should probably knead it for an extra 2-3 minutes though. Let me know how it goes.
Looks wonderful! My grandsons would love it with Nutella!
Thanks for the great pictures and straight forward instructions!
Hope to make it this week.
,
Hi Luisa, thanks so much and you could definitely substitute with Nutella, let me know how it goes.
Love your blog. Just ran across it and signed up for email posts. !!
Hi Laura, thanks so much, I hope to have one out this weekend. Take care.