Christmas Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pkg. dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 1/2 c. biscuit mix
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.)
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. cherry preserves

Preparation

Proof yeast in warm water for 5 minutes. Add biscuit mix, 1 tablespoon sugar and egg. Stir well. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Place in buttered bowl. Turn to grease top and chill 8 hours. Punch dough down and turn into greased 14 x 9-inch baking sheet. Roll dough out to fit sheet. Combine cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice. Beat together until smooth. Spread mixture 2 inches wide down the length of the dough. Make 3-inch cuts in dough at 1-inch intervals along the edges. Fold and overlap strips diagonally to make a braid. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk. Bake 20 minutes at 350\u00b0. Remove from oven and spoon preserves down the center. Return to oven for 5 minutes to melt. Cool 10 minutes before serving.