Cream Cheese Lincoln Log

Because of the log cabin our 16th U.S. President spent his youth growing up in, he will forever be associated with logs. It has become traditional in our home to bake a yeast raised bread in the form of a log frosted with a chocolate ganache or frosting of your choosing to serve every Feb. 12th in honor of Abraham Lincoln.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 to 5 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 pkgs Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup margarine/butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 pkg cream cheese
  • 1 egg

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl thoroughly mix 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 /2 cup sugar & undissolved Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast
  2. Combine milk, water & margarine/butter in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are warm. (Margarine/butter does not need to melt)
  3. Gradually add to dry ingredients & beat 2 minutes at medium speed
  4. Add eggs & 1/2 cup flour or enough flour to make a thick batter
  5. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough
  6. Turn out onto a lightly floured board: knead until smooth & elastic about 8 to 10 minutes
  7. Place in a greased bowl, turning grease side to top
  8. Cover & let rise in a warm place until doubled for about 1 hour
  9. Meanwhile, prepare filling. Cream the cheese with 1/4 cup sugar until light & fluffy. Blend in egg
  10. Punch dough down; turn out onto lightly floured board
  11. Divide dough in half
  12. Roll 1/2 the dough into a 10 X 14-inch rectangle
  13. Spread with half the cheese filling
  14. Roll up, as for jelly roll, to form 14-inch roll. Seal edges
  15. Place on greased baking sheet
  16. Cut slits 3/4 through log at 1-inch intervals
  17. Repeat with remaining dough & filling
  18. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour
  19. Bake in oven (350 degrees) about 25 to 30 minutes, or until done
  20. Remove froim bakign sheets & cool
  21. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting of your choosing