{Go With the Flo} Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake- an all-time fave!

To make the dough

1. 1. Stir together 2 cups (or 225 grams) of the flour, the sugar, the yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside.
2. 2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat just until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the water, and set aside until warm (120° to 130°F), about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract.
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4. 3. Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
5. 4. Attach the bowl and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer and add 1/2 cup (or 65 grams) of the remaining flour, then resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds.
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7. 5. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until he dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.
8. 6. Sprinkle a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and centre the dough on the flour. Knead gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if necessary to lessen the stickiness.
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10. 7. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover securely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes. To check if the dough is ready, press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for the next step. If not, let it rise for some minutes more.

While the dough is rising, make the filling

1. 8. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the zests. Set aside to allow the sugar to draw out moisture from the zests, until the mixture begins to look sandy and wet.
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3. 9. About 20 minutes before the end of the rising time, centre a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Lightly butter or coat with nonstick spray a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

To shape the coffee cake

1. 10. Gently deflate the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 20×12-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter generously over the dough. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each about 12 x 4 inches.
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3. 11. Sprinkle 1-1/2 tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture over one of the buttered rectangles. Top with a second rectangle and sprinkle with another 1-1/2 tablespoon of the zest-sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining dough rectangles and zest-sugar mixture, ending with a stack of 5 rectangles. Work carefully when adding the crumbly zest filling, or it will fall off when you lift the stacked pastry later.
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5. 12. Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips, each about 4×2 inches. Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan. You can hold the pan diagonally to make it easier to press down on the stack to fit all the layers. It will be tight. Don’t worry about the strips not filling the pan widthwise at this point. They will once they bake.
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7. 13. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until puffy and almost double in size, 30 to 50 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip, if the indentation remains, the dough is ready for baking.
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9. 14. Bake the coffee cake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the coffee cake cools, make the icing

1. 15. In a medium bowl, using a rubber spatula, vigorously mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the milk and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
2. 16. Once cooled, remove the coffee cake from the pan, tilting and rotating the pan while gently tapping on a counter to release the sides. Invert a wire rack on the cake, and carefully life off the pan. Invert another rack on top and then invert the cake so it is right side up on the rack.
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4. 17. Slip a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drips from the icing. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm cake with icing to glaze it.* Serve the coffee cake warm or at room temperature.**