BRAIDED CHEESE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in almond extract, almonds and cherries; set aside.
• If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press into 13x7-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press into 13x7-inch rectangle.
• Spoon cream cheese mixture lengthwise down center 1/3 of rectangle. On each long side of dough rectangle, make cuts 1 inch apart to edge of filling. Fold opposite strips of dough over filling and cross in center to form a braided appearance; seal ends.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth; drizzle over coffee cake. If desired, garnish with additional sliced almonds and cherries. Cover and refrigerate any remaining coffee cake.

Steps:

• Add two cups of flour, along with the salt, to the bowl of a stand mixer.
• In a medium saucepan, heat water, milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. The temperature of the mixture should be between 110-115 degrees. If it is too warm, allow it to cool slightly. Stir the sugar and yeast into the warm milk and butter mixture. Let stand about 10 minutes, or until yeast is frothy.
• Add yeast mixture to the flour in the mixer. Stir in the egg. Using the dough hook, mix until well combined. Gradually add the remaining half cup of flour until a soft dough forms and gathers in the center of the bowl. You may not need all the flour.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Let dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10x14 inch rectangle.
• Sprinkle the dough with the garlic salt, followed by the minced jalapenos and both cheeses. Starting with the long end, roll the dough into a tight log. Using a sharp knife, slice the log in half vertically, starting a few inches below the upper edge. You should have two ropes of dough, connected at the top.
• Gently rotate the two ropes of dough outward, so that the cut side is facing up and the filling is exposed. Place one rope of dough over the other, repeating until you reach the end of the log. Carefully place the loaf into a greased, 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Cover and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the loaf for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If needed, cover with foil during the last 20 minutes of baking time to prevent over-browning.