Blueberry Cream Cheese Braid

“Many of us pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that we hurry past it.” ~ Søren Kierkegaard

The thing I love most about food bloggers and those who frequent food blogs is they enjoy the process of making food almost as much as eating the food. They enjoy the way dough feels under their fingers, the look of the counter cluttered with spoons, measuring cups, cookbooks and ingredients.

They appreciate the art of opening drawers with elbows because their hands are covered in flour or scratching their noses while cutting up a chicken. They know the best part of a dish is often in the bowl before the batter ever reaches the heat of an oven, or it’s in the pan after the meal has been eaten. I’ve been known to take a piece of bread and “clean up” a roasting pan after everyone else has retired to the living room.

I know people who never or rarely cook. Most of their meals are placed before them at restaurants perfect in presentation and without the least bit of effort on their part. There is a certain appeal to that, and of course no dishes to wash up after is an added bonus. But, there is also no licking the bowl, drinking the pot liquor (pot likker for us southerners), or savoring the crust on the side of a pan. Surely, I’m not the only one who does this.

So, here’s to foodies!!! This Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish is the perfect pastry for enjoying the process. Each step increases your anticipation for the final product. I loved making it from start to finish and was surprised at just how easy it was. I used was a good quality blueberry jam and I recommend that you do also. The cream cheese added such a nice mild sweetness and rich texture. I hope you try this one!

*Recipe adapted from King Arthur’s Flour Cookbook

Ingredients (Serves 16)

For the dough:

2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups pastry flour
6 tbsp sour cream
6 tbsp butter, soft
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tsp grated lemon peel

For the filling:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons soft butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup blueberry jam mixed with 2 tbsp flour

For the icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 to 2 tbsp milk

For the dough:

Preheat oven to 350º.
Combine the yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and ½ cup of the flour in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until mixture is bubbly, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the remaining dough ingredients and knead the dough until soft and pliable.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

For the filling:

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. Then mix in the flour and the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Deflate the dough, and divide it in half. Roll each half into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Spread half of the jam in a 2 1/2-inch-wide swath down the center of each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border at the top and bottom.

Top jam with half of the cream cheese filling.

I forgot to transfer the dough to the baking sheet before I spread the jam. Don’t make that same mistake!

Make 1 ¾ inch cuts every ¾ inch down the long sides of the dough. Fold the ends over the filling, then pull the cut strips up and over, alternating sides. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.

Cover the braids and let them rise for 30 to 45 minutes, until they’re puffy looking. If desired, brush with an egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make a shinier crust.
Bake the braids for 32 to 36 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and allow them to cool.

For the icing:

Mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture will thicken slightly as it sets).

When the braids are cooled, drizzle with icing.

Enjoy!

Print

Blueberry Cream Cheese Braid

This impressive looking blueberry cream cheese braid belies its ease of preparation. It is a beautiful addition to any breakfast or brunch.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 36 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 51 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author www.sanpasqualskitchen.com

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 cups pastry flour
• 6 tbsp sour cream
• 6 tbsp butter soft
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• For the filling:
• 8- ounce package cream cheese softened
• 2 tablespoons soft butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup blueberry jam mixed with 2 tbsp flour
• For the icing:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 to 2 tbsp milk

Instructions

• For the dough:
• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Combine the yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and ½ cup of the flour in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until mixture is bubbly, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining dough ingredients and knead the dough until soft and pliable.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• For the filling:
• In a medium-sized bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. Then mix in the flour and the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Deflate the dough, and divide it in half. Roll each half into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Spread half of the jam in a 2 1/2-inch-wide swath down the center of each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border at the top and bottom.
• Top jam with half of the cream cheese filling.
• Make 1 ¾ inch cuts every ¾ inch down the long sides of the dough. Fold the ends over the filling, then pull the cut strips up and over, alternating sides. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
• Cover the braids and let them rise for 30 to 45 minutes, until they’re puffy looking. If desired, brush with an egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make a shinier crust.
• Bake the braids for 32 to 36 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and allow them to cool.
• For the icing:
• Mix powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture will thicken slightly as it sets).
• When the braids are cooled, drizzle with icing.

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