Cream Cheese Filled Almond Braid

Have you ever been to one of those bakeries where everything looks beautiful and amazing, but when you taste it, it is all kind of blah?  It is always so disappointing!  Beautiful foods should taste incredible too, don't you think?  Have no fear, this lovely little coffee cake/bread will not do that to you.  It is both lovely and delicious.  The bread is slightly sweet and tasty on it's own but when you add the rich, creamy filling laced with almond flavor it really takes it over the top.  This makes two loaves so plan ahead to give the second one away or you will end up devouring it all.  Or just embrace it and enjoy both.  But don't say I didn't warn you.

Cream Cheese Filled Almond Braid

Number of Servings: 2 loaves
Time to Prepare: 3 hours 50 minutes

Dough

• 3/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
• 2 packages active dry yeast (about 4 1/2 tsp)
• 4 to 4 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Filling

• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• additional granulated sugar for sprinkling

Dissolve yeast in warm milk and let sit until foamy.  In a stand mixer, combine the yeast mixture, 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt.  Mix at medium speed for two minutes.  Reduce speed to low and mix in butter, egg, vanilla, and 1 cup flour.  Increase speed to medium and mix for another two minutes.  Stir in remaining flour about 1/2 cup at a time until you have a soft dough.  Knead for 5 minutes.

Place dough in a large, greased bowl and turn to coat.  Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled.  Punch down and knead for 1 minute.  Cover again and let rest for ten minutes.

While the dough rests, mix the filling.  Combine the cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, egg yolks, flour, and almond extract in a medium bowl (set aside the egg whites for later).  Beat with electric mixer until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Grease two baking sheets.  Divide the dough in half and roll out one half into a rectangle about 12"x9".  Carefully roll the dough over the rolling pin and transfer it onto a prepared baking sheet.  Lightly score the dough lengthwise into 3 sections about 3" wide.  Spread half of the filling down the the middle section of the dough.  Cut the remaining two sections into 1" wide diagonal strips, cutting to within 1/2" of the filling.  Starting at one end, fold the strips over the filling, alternating left and right to create a braid.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine egg whites with 1 Tbsp water and brush the braids with that mixture.  Sprinkle with almonds, then with granulated sugar.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.  Rotate the sheets top to bottom halfway through baking.  Immediately remove from baking sheets and cool completely on wire racks.

Source: adapted from In the Kitchen with America's Favorite Brand Name Recipes cookbook