~ adapted from Los Angeles Times ~
Cover 1/4 cup raisins with spiced rum in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil over low heat, then turn off and let set until use.
Make the filling: Toast 1/2 cup pecan pieces in a skillet, stirring and tossing often. Be careful not to brown too much, to not burn. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 can apple pie filling, 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt. Stir to a melted stage, the butter; the heat soaking the sugar into the apples with the cinnamon. Take off the heat and stir in the drained raisins. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate.
For the brioche:
Heat to warm 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk. Stir in 1 package active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Ferment for 10 minutes.
Whisk 2 large eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the yeast mixture and 1/3 cup sugar. Blend together in a separate bowl 3 1/2 cup bread flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Briefly set aside. Switch the stand mixer attachment to the paddle attachment. Incorporate 10 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, one at a time while mixer is running. Turn off the mixer and scrape down sides of the bowl. With the mixer turned back on, mix in 1 tablespoon at a time of the flour-salt blend. Mixer speed will need to be gradually turned up as the dough thickens and forms a solid mass for kneading. On a lightly floured surface, form into a ball, then knead 5 to 7 minutes. Form back into a ball, place in a large oiled bowl, in a warm place– cover and allow to rise 1 1/2 hours, doubled in size.
Softly roll into a rectangle– 10×28 inches. It is important that it be an exact size to fit both fillings and seal with the least amount of leakage as possible.
Have cream cheese filling made ahead of time: Beat 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons sugar, and 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk heavily or beat in a separate bowl 1 whole egg, but add to the cream cheese mixture just one-half of the frothy egg whisked or beat. Reserve remaining egg half for egg wash.
Being careful not to cut through the dough, score lightly down the center (lengthwise). Fill on side with the apple filling; the other side with cream cheese filling. Have a 1 1/2-inch allowance on all sides. Brush with egg wash of the half-egg that was left over previously, whisked with 2 tablespoons milk. Brush egg wash on all the edges.
Fold over the sides to meet in the middle, up to the score line.
Seal the ends into points, lapping one side slightly over the other.
Carefully twist into rope, into a wreath.
Secure the ends with toothpicks, pinning the ends into the wreath. Brush egg wash all over it, cover it loosely and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place… Then place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush again with egg wash. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes. This is easy to burn, so cover the top with parchment during the last 5 minutes. Cool on a rack, out of the pan, still on parchment paper. But cool completely before frosting.
Remove toothpicks.
For the frosting: Beat/whisk 2 ounces cream cheese (1/4 of an 8-ounce package of cream cheese), 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Little by little, add 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar.
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