Raspberry Pastry Braid

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
6¾ tsp yeast (3 packages)
8-9 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tsp water

Raspberry Filling

1⅔ cups frozen or fresh raspberries
1-2 Tbsp sugar, to taste
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp flour

Powdered Sugar Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk or water, to consistency

Instructions

Combine the sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups flour in a large bowl.
Heat the milk and the butter in a saucepan over low heat until the butter melts and the mixture is very warm.
Gradually add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing them together at a low speed.
Once combined, increase the speed to medium and mix for two minutes more.
Add the eggs and 2 more cups flour.
Beat the mixture for two minutes.
Then stir in enough additional flour (roughly 4 cups) to make a soft dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic.
Form the dough into a ball.
Place the dough ball in a large, greased bowl and then flip the dough over so that the greased side faces up.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for one hour or until doubled.
To prepare the raspberry filling, dissolve the flour in the water in a small saucepan.
Stir in the sugar and then add the berries.
Bring the mixture to a gentle bubbling simmer and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to let it boil vigorously, or until the berries cook down.
Punch down the dough.
Then divide the dough into four pieces, shaping each piece into a ball.
Working with one dough ball, roll it out on a lightly-floured surface into a 12 x 15-inch rectangle.
Place the dough on a greased baking sheet.
Spread the raspberry mixture in a 4-inch strip down the middle of the rectangle.
On the sides of the berry mixture, cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips and fold them alternately across the berry center.
Cover the pan with a towel and let the bread rise for one hour or until doubled.
If desired, make more raspberry filling and repeat the process with the other three balls of dough or reserve the remaining dough for another use.
Once the bread has doubled in size, mix 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp water and brush the dough with the egg glaze.
Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is light brown and glazed.
Remove the bread from the oven.
Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk/water until it reaches your desired consistency and drizzle the powdered sugar glaze over the top.
Serve the bread warm or let it cool completely and store it in a sealed container.