Mexican Pineapple Coffeecake

Ingredients

Pineapple Filling

  • About 4 cups chopped fresh pineapple (1 medium pineapple)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake

  • 4 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs

Cheese Filling

  • 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Filling: Place pineapple in a heavy saucepan. Add sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, until liquid almost evaporates, about 30 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract. Cool.
  2. Cake: Combine 1 cup of flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Heat milk and butter in a saucepan or microwave until mixture reaches 110 degrees F.
  4. Using a large whisk, add hot milk-butter mixture and vanilla to flour mixture; beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to make a soft dough that just cleans sides of bowl. Switch to wooden spoon when dough becomes too thick for a whisk.
  5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Turn chilled dough out onto a floured surface. Knead gently until smooth but still soft. Dust with 1 tablespoon of flour at a time to keep from sticking; do not over-flour. Place dough in a greased container, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise at warm room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the cheese filling and crumb topping.
  7. Cheese Filling: Beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in the bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.
  8. Cinnamon Crumb Topping: Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter in food processor bowl; pulse until crumbly.
  9. After dough has risen for 1 hour, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet with parchment. Rub with butter or shortening.
  10. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and divide in half.
  11. Roll out one half of the dough to a 12 x 18-inch rectangle. Fit into pan and press up along the sides. Spread cheese filling evenly over dough. Spread pineapple filling over cream cheese filling.
  12. Roll out remaining dough to a 12 x 18-inch rectangle. Place on top of fruit filling and tuck in sides to contain filling. Crimp edges. Sprinkle crumbs on top and set cake aside for 15 minutes.
  13. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch.
  14. Cool and cut into squares.
  15. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 15 servings