Apricot Cheese Danish Braid
Ingredients 2 pounds = 2 Danish Braids 1
1
⁄
2
pounds = 1 Braid 1 pound = 1 Braid
Basic Sweet Dough, page 63
Cream cheese, cut in
1
⁄2-inch pieces, 8 ounces 6 ounces 4 ounces
at room temperature
Granulated sugar
1
⁄4 cup 3 tablespoons 2 tablespoons
Cornstarch 2 tablespoons 4 teaspoons 1 tablespoon
Egg, large, at room temperature* 1 3 tablespoons 2 tablespoons
(1 medium) (
1
⁄2 beaten egg – 1 small)
Pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
3
⁄4 teaspoon
1
⁄2 teaspoon
Apricot preserves 12 tablespoons, divided 9 tablespoons, divided 6 tablespoons
Egg wash – 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Place cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth (this may also be done in a food processor fitted with the
metal “s” blade or with a hand mixer). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For 2-pound and 1
1
⁄2-pound recipes, divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll out dough into a rectangle 18x12 inches for 2-pound size or 14x10-inches for
1
1
⁄2-pound size. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread cream cheese filling over the center third (lengthwise portion) of rectangle and top with 6 (4
1
⁄2)
tablespoons apricot preserves. Cut 1-inch wide strips from edge of filling to edge of dough along 18-inch sides. Begin braid by folding top row toward filling.
Alternately fold strips at an angle from each side across filling toward opposite side. Fold bottom row toward filling and finish by stretching last strip and tucking
under. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cover and let rise until nearly doubled. Brush with egg wash. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown and filling is set. Remove
from oven. Slide parchment and braid onto a wire rack, and pull parchment out from under the braid. Allow to cool. Serve plain, dust with powdered sugar, or
drizzle with vanilla glaze.
* Gently and safely warm cold eggs by placing whole eggs in a bowl and covering with moderately hot tap water for 10 minutes.
Vanilla Glaze
Place
1
⁄2 cup sifted powdered sugar in a bowl with 2 teaspoons powdered sugar and
1
⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add milk, a few drops at a time, until mixture is a
consistency that can be drizzled.
Nutritional information per serving (1 ounce):
Calories 158 (35% from fat) • carb. 22g • pro. 4g • fat 6g • sat. fat 3g • chol. 41mg • sod. 39mg • calc. 17mg • fiber 1g
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