Cream Cheese Braid Day

Every year I make cream cheese braids for my husband to take to work, and this year it was today. I first made them in 1982 after I found the recipe in probably the first Southern Living magazine I ever bought. I later read somewhere that this is Southern Living's most requested recipe. Here goes:

Cream Cheese Braids

1 8 oz. carton sour cream, scalded
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 t salt
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water, 105 - 115 degrees
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling (recipe below)
Glaze (recipe below)

Combine scalded sour cream, sugar, butter and salt; mix well, and let cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl; stir in sour cream mixture, then eggs. Gradually stir in flour (dough will be soft and you don't knead it at this point). Cover tightly and put in refrigerator overnight.

Divide dough into four equal sections. Turn each portion out on a heavily floured surface, knead a little and form into a rectangle, and then roll into a rectangle approximately 12x8 inches.

Filling:

2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/8 t salt
2 t vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients, mixing with electric mixer until well blended.

Spread 1/4 of filling over the rectangle, leaving a margin around the edges.

Carefully roll up jellyroll fashion, beginning at long side. Firmly pinch edge and ends to seal. Carefully place roll, seam side down, on greased baking sheet.

The finished rolls should look something like this:

Repeat with remaining dough.

After you get all the rolls done, make 6 equally spaced X-shaped cuts on top of each roll.

Cover and let rise in a warm place. If you are using rapid rise yeast, it takes 30-35 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. After they cool a bit, drizzle glaze over.

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 t vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients, mixing well.

Finished product:

 Yum.