Mimi's Cheese Coffee Braid

This has a wonderful cheese filling. When you buy the cottage cheese, don't get a low-fat, get the good stuff. I get Hood's Country Style. It is good with just the cheese or you could add a can of cherry pie filling on top and WOW! what a treat. It is even better after you refrigerate it.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Yields: 1 braid

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 (1/4ounce) packages dry yeast
• 3 1⁄2 cups flour (about)
• 6  tablespoons butter
• 2⁄3 cup water
• 1  egg

• FILLING

• 1 (8 ounce) container cream-style cottage cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon peel
• 1  egg yolk (save the white to put on braid before baking)

Directions

1. Combine sugar, salt, yeast, and 1 cup flour in a bowl.
2. In a saucepan heat the butter and water until very warm (but not too hot as that will kill the yeast--about 115 degrees).
3. With mixer on low speed, beat the liquid into the dry ingredients and then at medium speed, beat for 2 minutes.
4. Beat in the egg and 3/4 cup flour and beat for 2 more minutes.
5. Stir in 1 1/4 cups flour and then turn out on a floured board and knead adding flour if you need it.
6. Put into a greased bowl and rise for 1 hour.
7. Meanwhile prepare the filling.
8. FILLING:
9. Press the cottage cheese through a fine sieve into a bowl. Beat on low speed with cream cheese, confectioners sugar, lemon peel, and egg yolk till well blended.
10. BACK TO THE DOUGH:
11. Punch down the dough and cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
12. Grease a large cookie sheet.
13. Roll dough out to a to 12x15 rectangle.
14. Spread the filling in a 4" strip lengthwise down the center.
15. IT IS AT THIS POINT YOU WOULD PUT THE CHERRY PIE FILLING--AS MUCH AS YOU WANT--ON TOP OF THE CHEESE.
16. Cut dough on both sides of filling crosswise into 1" strips.
17. Place strips at an angle across filling, alternating sides for braided effect.
18. Place braid on cookie sheet; cover and let rise till double.
19. Beat an egg white and brush on braid.
20. Bake in 350°F oven for 20 minutes or till browned.
21. Cool 15 minutes.
22. If you want to drizzle some thin icing on top, that is also good.