Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Braid

 

The other day I posted a great recipe for an Apple Danish Braid.  Remember?  In the comments under that post, someone said, “Bet this would be good with fresh peaches.”   And I said to myself, “Self, I bet it would be delicious with peaches.”  So I decided to make one with fresh peaches…. And cream cheese made into a cheese cake batter….oh and with a vanilla drizzle made from cream and confectioners sugar…. OH and some almonds… I knew it had to have a few almonds.   So I made it and here it is.  My Cream Cheese and Peach Braid with Almonds.  OMG.

 

Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Braid

 

1 box (2 packages) Puffed pastry

1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for wash

2-3 peaches, peeled and sliced  (you can use canned peaches)

 

Filling

3 ounces cream cheese, softened or at room temperature

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon pure almond extract

 

Glaze:

½ cup powdered sugar

½ Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

⅛ teaspoon pure almond extract

1½ Tablespoon whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and almond extract and mix with a hand mixture until smooth. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lay Puffed pastry dough on baking sheet and smooth out any cracks along the seams with finger tips.  Use a sharp knife and cut 1-inch strips on both sides of dough (be careful not to cut parchment paper). 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use an offset spatula to spread about 4 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture down the center of the dough. Use more if you’d like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arrange peaches over the cream cheese layer. You can lay them slightly overlapping or side by side. Working from the top, begin crisscrossing strips over peaches alternating them diagonally to form a braid. Example:  begin by folding over the top left strip, then fold the top right strip, then a left strip, and so on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When all the strips are folded over filling, press to seal the bottom and the top. Brush egg wash over the top of pastry and bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown (about 20 minutes). 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before glazing.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, almond extract, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over braid and let set before serving.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sprinkle with sliced toasted almonds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slice and serve.

 











  

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

OH MY GOODNESS!

 

 


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