Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Breakfast Braid

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the creamy pumpkin pie filling. In your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth. Add the pumpkin, egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice and mix until combined. Set in the fridge while you make your braid.

Toast your pecans that you’ll later use in the streusel. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated 350F oven for about 6 minutes or until fragrant, stirring about halfway through the cook time. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool. Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

Make your pastry dough. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture and pulse to cut the fat into the flour (about 6 pulses). Add the milk and almond extract and blend into a loose dough.

Turn the dough onto a sheet of lightly-floured parchment paper and knead very lightly for just 4-5 strokes (be careful not to overwork the dough or it’ll be tough! Don’t worry about getting it smooth — just knead for these few strokes and let it stay a little rough.)

Very lightly flour the top of the dough and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough into an 8- by 12-inch rectangle. (I lift the paper off every now and then and flip the dough and repeat on the other side, to ensure the dough isn’t sticking). Remove the top sheet of parchment and discard. Measure and mark the dough into thirds (lengthwise thirds). Spread your creamy pumpkin pie filling down the middle third of the dough — try to keep your filling about 1/4 inch from the mark on both sides.

Make the streusel topping. Combine the flour, cinnamon and brown sugar in a medium bowl and using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until you have crumbly streusel. Mix in 1/4 cup of the toasted pecans (save the rest for decorating the finished braid). Sprinkle streusel over the top of the pumpkin mixture down the center of the dough. Really pile it on!

Continue assembling the braid (see photos on the related blog link, which show the process of marking and assembling a raspberry almond braid, for guidance). Make two 3/4-inch slight diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals on each of the long sides of the rectangle. Do not cut into the center pumpkin-filled area. Fold the strips, first one from one side and then one from the other side in a rotating fashion, over the filling. It will now resemble a braid. Use the sheet of parchment to transfer your assembled braid to a baking sheet. (At this point, you can brush the pastry with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and a teaspoon of water if you want it darker than mine. I didn’t bother).

Bake in the 425 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the top is lightly browned. Let the braid cool slightly while you make your glaze.

Make the Maple Brown Sugar Glaze. Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter melts, whisk in the brown sugar, syrup, and salt, stirring until the brown sugar melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the top of your cooled braid. Sprinkle the braid with the remaining toasted pecans and a dusting of cinnamon. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and microwave for about 20 seconds to serve.