Description:

A Flavorable Creamy Rich Tea Bread reminiscent of a Cheese Danish, only much, much better!

Source:

S. Chokel

Serves/Makes:1 Loaf

Ingredients

• Tea bread batter:
• 1 egg
• vegetable, corn, or canola oil
• 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) Ricotta cheese
• 1 cup (225 ml) crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups (475 ml) flour
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
• Cheese filling/topping:
• 2 lbs (.9 kg). Baker's or pot cheese
• 3 jumbo or x-large eggs
• 8 oz (224 grm). sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) grated lemon zest
• Struessel topping:
• 1 cup (225 ml) sugar
• 2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) flour
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) of butter
• sliced almonds, optional

Preparation

• Tea bread:
• In a measuring cup, place the egg and add enough oil to make 1/2 cup (125 ml).
• Add the egg and oil mixture to the Ricotta cheese and mix until smooth.
• Add the crushed pineapple.
• In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
• Add to the wet ingredients and blend gently.
• Fill greased loaf pan about 3/4 full (a little shy is okay).
• Using a pastry bag (or a spoon can do it) filled with 1 Cup (225 ml) of the Cheese Filling, pipe the cheese mixture into the top of the pan of batter in a zig-zaggy manner on top and into the batter an inch or two.
• Using your hands, crumble the struessel topping over all of that.
• At this point, if you would like to add some sliced almonds, sprinkle them on top.
• Put the loaf into the oven for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.
• Cheese filling/topping:
• Put the cheese through a food mill into a big bowl.
• Cream the cheese and sugar until smooth.
• Then add eggs and lemon zest and mix until blended and creamy.
• Fill pastry bag with about 1 cup (225 ml) to pipe onto (and somewhat into) the Pineapple Bread Batter.
• Struessel topping:
• Combine sugar, cinnamon and flour.
• Cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly.
• Sprinkle struessel topping over swirled cheese filling and batter.

Comments

The amount of cheese filling and struessel topping is more than required for the recipe. The extra amounts will keep easily tightly covered in the refrigerator. They can easily be used with other pastries, or even apple pies! This is a very moist and flavorful tea bread.