Danish Cheese Braid

This recipe was gotten from my mother-in-law Virginia Campbell Hentges. She made these every year as Christmas gifts. If you don't mind a little work, you will make a tasty treat that your friends will rave about.

Bread Ingredients
1/2 pound butter (softened)
2 packages dry yeast
6 tbl sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 C sour cream
5 C all purpose flour
Mix yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Cream together the softened butter, sugar, eggs and sour cream. Add the yeast mixture and mix well. Add flour one third at a time until all is incorporated. Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Filling
4 eight ounce packages of cream cheese (softened)
4 eggs
9 tbl sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbl vanilla extract
Beat all ingredients until smoot. Separate into four equal parts.

Icing
1 box of XXX powdered sugar
Lemon juice
Add lemon juice to sugar until an icing is made with the consistency of honey.

Assembly and Baking

Step 1.

1. Divide the dough into four equal parts. Take one part and roll out into a rectangle until dough is approximately 1/4" thick.

2. Fold back the sheet of dough and place a piece of parchment paper under it. The paper should be about 5" wide and 12" to 14" long.

3.Place one part of the filling into the center third of the dough.

Step 2

4. Cut the outer third of the dough into 1/4" strips. Fold the strips, alternately from each side,  over onto the filling making a weave pattern.



5. Using the top and bottom edges of the parchment paper, place danish on a baking sheet and let rise for about an hour. Repeat three more time.

Steps 3 & 4

Step 5

Bake each cheese braid in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove and drizzles with icing while still warm.