Taste of Home - Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Our traditional Christmas breakfast...and breakfast later on, as it makes more than one coffee cake and it freezes well! Giftable, too! L and I would bring one to our friend, Mary, on Christmas Eve.

This is from the February/March 1995 Taste of Home issue. Be forewarned, it takes two days, as the dough is refrigerated overnight. Through the years I've reduced by half the dough ingredients, because the original amount would make four, maybe even five huge coffee cakes. But I kept the filling the same, because who doesn't like cream cheese? Use your best judgement how much to use on each loaf -- big eyes make for gooey mess. Suffice to say you will have some left over if you have cut the dough ingredients in half. You could refrigerate and use it later for a small batch of kolaches, or sweet rolls, or if you are not afraid of an egg, swipe a spoonful occasionally. I have also substituted low fat sour cream and the Neufachel 1/3 less fat cream cheese. Stay away from the fat-free stuff. Another nice touch is to use almond extract for the vanilla in the glaze if you are sprinkling toasted almonds on top.

CREAM CHEESE COFFEE CAKE

Dough:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
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2 packages dry yeast (FYI: 1 package equals 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water, 110-115 degrees
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups flour

Filling:
2 packages cream cheese, softened, 8 ounce size
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Glaze:
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
sliced almonds, toasted, optional

In a saucepan, combine sour cream, sugar, butter and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 5-10 minutes or until well blended. Cool to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sour cream mixture and eggs; mix well. Gradually stir in flour. Dough will be very soft. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, combine filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended. Turn dough onto a floured board; knead 5-6 times. Divide into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a 12 x 8 rectangle. Spread 1/4 of the filling on each to within 1 inch of edges. Roll up, jelly-roll style from long side; pinch seams and ends to seal. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet/s. Do this part if you want to get artsy-creative: Cut six X's on top of loaves. Lately I've been putting it seam side up and if it unrolls a little exposing the cream cheese, that's OK, too. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 375 (I adjust it down to 350 if it starts to brown too quickly) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Combined the first three glaze ingredients, drizzle over loaves. Sprinkle with almonds if desired.
Enjoy!