Combine all in pan and cook over low heat for 5- 10 min or until slightly thickened. Taste and add more seasonings if desired. This can be made a few days ahead of time. Just thaw to room temp before using

Peel, remove cores and slice pears into quarters.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium high sided sauce pan and stir over medium low heat to dissolve sugar. Add the pears to the pan and cover with a disk of parchment paper with a small hole cut in the middle. This way the pears stay covered in liquid but steam can still escape.

Simmer for 15 minutes until cooked through. Let cool in pan 5-10 min.

If using same day remove pears and thinly slice each pear quarter. Each braid uses a little over 1 whole pear, you can use more if desired.

Reserve 2 cups of the sauce to make the glaze or refrigerate the pears in a covered bowl with the poaching liquid until ready to use. There will be leftover pears, they are great served over ice cream with the caramel glaze drizzled over them

NOTE: To prepare this braid in advance, complete all steps and assemble the braid but do not bake. Cover the braid on its parchment lined baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Set out in the morning as you preheat the oven and then bake as usual. The dough can also be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Just thaw to room temp and continue at the step where you roll it out to fill it.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

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 6-10 pulses). Add the milk and vanilla extract and blend into a loose dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead VERY LIGHTLY for 4-5 strokes. (NOTE: This is the step at which you can ruin the braid. If you overwork the dough, the pastry will be tough. Just gather the dough together and don’t worry about making it smooth. It will still look a little rough. That’s perfect.)

Between two sheets of waxed paper, roll the dough to a 12x16-inch rectangle. Turn dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, place on a baking sheet and remove the waxed paper. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Spread pumpkin butter down the middle third of the dough, keeping it about ½ inch from the mark on both sides. Top with the thinly sliced poached pears in a single layer. Make slight diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals on each the long sides. Do not cut into the center filled area. Fold 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.

Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon water together in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush lightly brush the egg wash on top of the pastry. Don’t use it all just use enough to cover the top of the pastry.

Bake in a 425° oven for 15-18 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the top is lightly browned.

Cool for 5 min and using the parchment paper slide the braid onto a serving platter.

Pour 2 cups of the remaining poaching liquid in a sauce pan, add the brown sugar and butter and cook over medium heat until it’s reduced by about half, and starting to turn darker brown and bubble.

Stir often and remove from heat once it’s starting to get thick. Quickly pour in the heavy cream and stir quickly until combined. Return to medium heat and stir until it starts to bubble again and starts to smell like caramel, being careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and add in salt and stir again.

Drizzle over braid with a spoon while glaze and braid are still warm. If not using right away just reheat it until it’s a thinner consistency as it will thicken as it cools.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until it is all mixed together. Drizzle over the braid with a spoon while it’s still warm