Cream Cheese Danish Bread

Makes: 4 loaves Prep time including rising: 3-4 hours Bake time: 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

1, 8 ounce container sour cream, (not low fat)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2, 1/4 ounce envelopes active dry yeast ( I use Red Star Yeast)

1/2 cup warm water

2 beaten eggs

4 cups all purpose flour, ( I always use unbleached)

Filling

2, 8 ounce packs softened cream cheese

2 teaspoons best quality vanilla

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 beaten egg

Glaze

2 and 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

2 teaspoons best quality vanilla

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon half and half

Directions

Heat first 4 ingredients in a saucepan until the butter melts and the mixture is warm.  Set aside

Combine yeast and warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer and let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in sour cream mixture and eggs.  Gradually stir in flour.  The dough will be very soft and sticky.  Cover and chill for about 4 hours or until very cold.

Dust your board well with flour and knead the dough until it becomes smooth and soft. Divide the dough into fourths.

In your stand mixer, combine all of your filling ingredients.

Roll each ball into a 12″x8″ rectangle.

Divide the filing into fourths and spread each fourth onto the rolled dough being careful to leave an inch border so the filling doesn’t ooze out the side.

Roll up each rectangle and tuck each end under.  Pinch the seams closed so the filling does’t come out.

Place two rolls each on parchment lined baking sheets.

With a very sharp knife, cut 6 equally spaced Xs across the top of each loaf, being careful not to cut completely through the dough to expose the filling.

Cover each pan with a towel and let rise for an hour.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

Bake the loaves for 15 to 20 minutes or until the loaves are a golden brown.

Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk and set aside.

Let the loaves cool completely before drizzling the glaze.

Wrap each loaf in wax paper and foil.  If they aren’t eaten by the next day, freeze them for up to 2 months.