Raspberry Cheese Braid

Place all ingredients in your mixer bowl. Knead for 10 minutes and remove from bowl. Allow dough to rise 30 minutes. Divide dough in half and work with one half at a time.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the cream cheese, farmer cheese, sugar, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

Roll one half into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle, and place on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread half of the jam in a 2 1/2-inch-wide strip, lengthwise, down the center of each dough rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border at the top and bottom. Top the jam with half of the filling. Make 2-inch long slits every 3/4 inch down both long sides of the dough, toward the outer edge of the dough. Fold the top and bottom ends over the filling, folding up one inch. Starting at the top, pull one cut strip at a time up and over the filling, alternating sides so the strips overlap making it appear as though the dough is braided.

Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Cover the braids and let them rise for 30 additional minutes, until they’re slightly puffy looking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and brush gently over the braids. Bake the braids for about 35 Minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove from the oven, and allow them to cool for 15 minutes.

Mix confectioners’ sugar, milk and oil until combined. Drizzle generously over braids and allow to dry.