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Cream Cheese Braid

Sweet bread pastry with delicious cream cheese filling
Course Breakfast

Ingredients
  

Filling

  • 2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp almond extract

Pastry dough

  • 1 tbsp active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water 110°-115℉
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • cups all-purpose flour

Toppings

  • 1 jar jam or pie filling flavor of choice
  • dusting powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • In mixing bowl or food processor, mix all cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, and extracts. Combine until smooth. Place in covered bowl and refrigerate overnight.
  • In small bowl, combine yeast, warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar to "feed" the yeast. Set aside.
  • Once yeast has foamed up, add dough ingredients to mixer or food processor and blend well. Place in greased bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • To form pastry, remove dough from refrigerator, turn onto floured surface and divide in half. Roll out each half into rectangles. On long sides, cut 1 inch wide strips about 3 inches in length toward the center. On middle third of rectangle, spread half of the filling on each pastry. Fold top and bottom edge down over filling to close the ends, turning the outer strands down the sides of the filling. Starting at top end, fold alternating strips over the top of the filling. Curl last strip under. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and let rise about 1 hour in warm spot.
  • Bake for 350℉ for 20-24 minutes until golden color. Carefully remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool. While cooling, top pastries with jam or pie filling. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

Notes

*Hint* - To add sweetness to dough, I roll out onto powdered sugar instead of flour.
Keyword cream cheese, pastry