Carey’s Blueberry Cream-Cheese Braided Loaf

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg, separated
1 1/4 cups confectioner sugar, divided
1 (11 oz) can refrigerated breadstick dough
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (use almost a cup)
2 tsp. water
2.5 tbsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 375*. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl at med. speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg yolk and 1/4 cup confectioner sugar. Beat until well mixed. Set aside.

Remove breadstick dough from can. Unroll and separate dough into rectangle. Place dough horizontally on baking sheet. Press seams together to seal.

Spoon cream cheese mixture onto center third of dough.

Wash, drain, and dry blueberries. Sprinkle blueberries over cream cheese mixture.

Separate dough at perforations up to cream-cheese mixture slightly stretching dough strips. Beginning at top edge of dough, braid strips to cover filling (this makes more sense as you are doing it). Tuck last 2 ends under at bottom of loaf.

In a small bowl, beat egg white and water with fork until blended to form an egg wash. Brush egg wash over braided loaf.

Bake until golden brown, approx. 20 minutes. Cool for at least 45 min. or as long as you can stand it.

In another small bowl, combine remaining 1 cup confectioners sugar and orange juice, whisking until smooth. Drizzle glaze over braided loaf before serving. Slice with bread knife.