Lemon Blueberry Swirl Bread

 If you happen to love baking bread and are looking for that next best loaf, I’ve got a great one for you to try.  This Lemon Blueberry Swirl Bread is one of my new favorite recipes.  I love how the dough incorporates ingredients like lemon, blueberries, Hodgson Mill All Purpose White Flour, Hodgson Mill White Whole Wheat Flour and Hodgson Mill Flax Chia Blend and kneads them together to become a lovely spring-flavored, lightly sweet yeast bread that’s delicious on its own and even better with a drizzle of lemon glaze over the top. 

Hodgson Mill All Purpose White Flourand Hodgson Mill White Whole Wheat Flour are the main ingredients.   Hodgson Mill All Purpose White Flour is my favorite all-purpose flour; it’s unbleached, unenriched and unbromated – all things we don’t need in our foods. Hodgson Mill White Whole Wheat Flour has all of the benefits of regular whole wheat, but is lighter in color, has a milder taste and less texture. It’s my go-to flour for adding an unnoticeable boost of healthy whole grains to baked goods. 

Hodgson Mill Flax Chia Blend is a great new product that combines milled flax and chia seeds in one convenient package.  With just three tablespoons, it adds over 3000mg of Omega-3 Oils (more than most multivitamins) to this bread.  Hodgson Mill Vital Wheat Gluten isn’t an essential ingredient, but it does a fantastic job of helping turn the dough into a high-rising, tender loaf of bread – the very things professional bakers strive for.  Plus, a mere tablespoon of vital wheat gluten adds an extra 8 grams of protein to this bread; it’s definitely a worthwhile addition.


To start, put the flour, lemon zest, flax/chia blend, vital wheat gluten, salt, eggs, buttermilk, butter and yeast into the pan of a bread machine.  Run the dough cycle on the machine for 15 minutes or until the dough has come together into a smooth, soft (but not sticky) dough, adding more Naturally White Flour or liquid as necessary.

This step can also be accomplished in a stand mixer or by hand.


While the dough is rising, prepare the lemon sugar by mixing the sugar and lemon zest together in a small bowl until well combined.  Set aside.

Once the dough has completed the cycle and is doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface.  I never get tired of seeing lovely, puffy, risen bread dough; it’s the promise of good things yet to come.

Next, roll the dough into a 20x12-inch rectangle and sprinkle it with the lemon sugar and dried blueberries. 

Beginning at one of the short ends, roll the dough into a log.  Pinch the bottom seam to seal.

Place the log of dough, seam side down, into a 9 x 5-inch bread pan that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Be sure to tuck under the ends when you put the dough into the pan.  Cover the dough loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 40 to 50 minutes. 

 This is what my dough looked like right before I put it into the oven.  I love the magic of Hodgson Mill Fast Rise Active Dry Yeast

Bake the bread in a 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown, covering it with a loose sheet of aluminum foil if the top becomes too brown before it’s finished baking.  Use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness (around 190°) if possible.  Cool the bread for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

While the bread is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.

When the bread is warm to the touch, drizzle the lemon glaze over the top; any sooner and it will slide off the top of the bread, leaving a sticky puddle below – not exactly what we had in mind.  Allow the bread to finish cooling completely, slice and serve; toasted with a smear of butter is especially delicious.

I couldn’t have been happier with how this Lemon Blueberry Swirl Bread turned out.   It has a light and lovely texture with just the right amount of sunny lemon flavor and plump dried blueberries swirled throughout. And the lemon glaze on top – oh my!  It adds the perfect finishing touch to such a delicious loaf of bread.  White whole wheat, milled flax seed and chia seed give this bread extra flavor, protein and fiber making it a healthy way to start our day – and believe me, this bread is what everyone in my family wanted for breakfast.   Give this Lemon Blueberry Swirl Bread a try the next time you’re in the mood to bake bread – which in my case will probably be tomorrow.  I can’t wait to have another slice!  Enjoy!

Lemon Blueberry Swirl Bread

Ingredients

Instructions

In the pan of a bread machine, add flour, flax/chia blend, vital wheat gluten, lemon zest, salt, eggs, buttermilk, butter and yeast into the pan of a bread machine; run dough cycle, keeping a close eye on dough for the first 5 to 10 minutes, adding extra flour as needed.  When dough cycle has finished, turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough into a 20x12-inch rectangle.  Sprinkle lemon sugar and dried blueberries over the dough.  Beginning at one short end, roll dough into a log; pinch bottom seam to seal. Place log of dough, seam side down, into a 9 x 5-inch bread pan that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray; tuck under ends.  Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 40 to 50 minutes.  Remove plastic wrap and bake bread in a 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and an instant read thermometer reaches 190°.  Cool for 10 minutes in pan and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Drizzle glaze over bread when it’s warm to the touch.  Finish cooling, slice and serve as desired.  Cooled bread will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Lemon Sugar

  •  1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest, grated

Combine sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl, mixing until well combined.

Lemon glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until well combined.

Notes

The dough can also be made in a stand mixer or by hand. 

Servings

Makes 1 loaf of bread


Original recipe by Holly

You can find Lemon Blueberry Swirl Bread and other recipes from Hodgson Mill by visiting the Recipes page.