Almond Cream Cheese Coffee Cakes

Makes 2 cakes

Dough

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cup milk at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
4 cups bread or all-purpose flour

Filling

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces almond paste, broken into small pieces

Glaze

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

To Make the Dough:

Mix all the dough ingredients in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until the dough comes to a ball or comes away from the sides of the mixer bowl.

Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and smooth.

Remove the dough to a floured surface. Grease the bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour, or until it’s puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk).

To Make the Filling:

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling by beating the cream cheese and the almond paste together until smooth. Chill until ready to use.

Assembly:

Cover two large baking pans with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide in half.
Rol one half into a large rectangle, about 12 x 140inches.

Spread half of the filling on the dough, leaving a half-inch border all around the dough.

Fold the dough into thirds like a letter from the long side. Seal the ends tightly. Form the roll into a horseshoe and pinch the ends together.

Place the dough on the prepared pan. Using kitchen scissors, cut two-thirds through the dough from the outer rim of the circle at 1-inch intervals.


Repeat with the remaining ingredients to form another cake.

Allow the cakes to rise, covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 1 hour until almost doubled in size.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Bake the cakes for 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Switch pans after 15 minutes to alternate on the oven racks.

Remove the cake from the oven and slide with the parchment paper to cool on a wire rack.

To make the glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, almond extract, and enough milk to make a thin frosting. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and allow the glaze to set before serving.


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