Candy Cane Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
TOPPINGS:
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 (12 ounce) jar cherry jam


DIRECTIONS
1.) In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, sour cream, eggs, sugar and salt. Add yeast mixture and flour; beat until smooth (do not knead). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2.) For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until blended. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divided in half. Roll out each portion into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle on a greased baking sheet. Spread filling down center of each rectangle. On each long side, cut 1-1/2-in.-wide strips about 3 in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Pinch ends to seal. Curve one end, forming a candy cane. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
3.) Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Stir jam, then spoon over top of leaves, creating candy cane stripes. Refrigerate leftovers.

Additional Garnish Optional: Cut 5 Merrichio Cherries in half. Place 3 mint leaves in a circle and place two cherry halves in each leaf cirlce. Repeat this 3 X's on the Candy Cane.
VARIATION ~ Traditional Candy Cane Bread - follows:

2 c. dairy sour cream
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
About 6 c. all-purpose flour
Any Pie Filling you desire (already made store bought canned (2 cans or homemade)

1.) Heat sour cream over low heat until lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in sour cream, 1/4 cup butter, sugar, salt, eggs and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
Turn dough onto well floured board; knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn grease side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour.
2,) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Punch down dough; divide into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into rectangle, 15 x 6 inches; place on greased baking sheet. With knife, make 2 inch cuts at 1/2 inch intervals on long sides of rectangles. Spread 1/3 of filling down center of each rectangle. Criss-cross strips over filling. Stretch dough to 22 inches. Curve to form cane. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
While warm, brush with butter and drizzle canes with Thin Icing. If desired, decorate with cherry halves or pieces. 3 coffee cakes.


THIN ICING:
2 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp. water
Blend 2 cups sugar with about 2 tablespoons water. If icing is too stiff, stir in few drops of water