Disappearing Cream Cheese Croissant

Source: St. Louis Grand Prize Winner, Pillsbury Bake-Off

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Sugar/Cinnamon mixture (1/4 cup sugar mixed
    with 1 tablespoon cinnamon)
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Gently unroll 1 can of crescents and keeping sections joined, press into bottom of pan.

Cream together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar by cooking in microwave for 45 seconds on high, then stir until smooth. Spread evenly on crescent layer. Layer second can of crescents over cream cheese. Sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture evenly on this layer. Melt butter in microwave evenly for 1 minute at 50% power, then pour evenly on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Variations: You may sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top before adding butter if desired. May add diced fresh apples (3/4 cup) or a small can well drained crushed pineapple to cream cheese mixture.

NOTE: if you add fruit, you will need to increase baking time an extra 5 minutes.

Raspberry Napoleons

1 package puff pastry
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1 jar raspberry preserves
White chocolate
Dark chocolate

Cut puff pastry dough into 2 1/2 x 4-inch rectangles. Follow package directions to brown. Let cool.

Prepare instant vanilla pudding. Let set.

Spread 1 teaspoon of jam on bottom of one puff pastry rectangle. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of vanilla pudding on top of another puff pastry rectangle. Place jam rectangle on vanilla rectangle (pudding to jam).

Melt white chocolate and spread over top of square. Melt dark chocolate and drizzle line over top.

Banana Pastries

Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons shortening
4 tablespoons sweet butter
1/2 cup water

Filling
2 large bananas
1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricot
1 pinch nutmeg
1 dash orange juice
1 egg yolk, beaten
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

To make the dough, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually blend in the water to make a soft dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Mash the bananas in a bowl with a fork and stir in the apricots, nutmeg, and orange juice, mixing well. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut out 4-inch rounds. Spoon a little of the banana filling onto one half of each round and fold the dough over the filling to make semicircles. Pinch the edges together and seal by pressing with prongs of a fork. Arrange the pastries on a nonstick cookie sheet and brush them with the beat on egg yolk to glaze. Cut a small slit in each pastry and cook in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Chocolate Strawberry Turnover

5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup fresh strawberries stem & leaves removed, and sliced.
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
1 large egg
1 thawed puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4 ounce package
    frozen puff pastry sheets)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F; lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Trim any uneven scraps from your pastry sheet and slice it into 4 equal squares. In a small bowl beat the egg until fluffy and brush onto the edges of the pastry squares, set aside on the prepared baking sheet until chocolate mixture is ready.

Using a double boiler melt the chocolate and butter. Stir the mixture to blend and remove from heat as soon as the chocolate is melted. Stir in the orange zest and set aside.

Evenly divide the strawberries among each square making a little mound in the center. Then evenly divide the chocolate mixture between each square poring over the strawberries in the center. Fold each square diagonally in half, forming triangles; seal the edges by gently pressing together. You can use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative effect. With a sharp knife cut a small steam vent in top of each turnover and then brush the tops with
egg and sprinkle with sugar. Place the baking sheet on the center rack and cook until golden brown about 10 minutes.

Serve the turnovers warm, with French vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.

Crescent Cream Cheese Danish Squares

2 (8-count) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 egg, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 can fruit pie filling
Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Unroll and place one package roll dough on 9 x 13 inch pan. Blend softened cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and extract. Spread mixture on top of layer of roll dough. Top with pie filling. Unroll and place second package of roll dough over pie filling. Brush lightly with egg white. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar or drizzle with a glaze.

Brandied Chocolate Pear Puff

1 (17 ounce) package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry
2 pears, slightly under-ripe
2 tablespoons brandy
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Thaw pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll pastry into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Peel, core and thinly slice the pears into a bowl. Sprinkle brandy over the pears and toss to coat. Place the chocolate chips down the middle third of the pastry and top with the pear and brandy mixture. Carefully fold the two sides up over the filling and press the dough together to seal the ends. Bake about 25 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serve warm.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Raspberry Eclairs

Choux Pastry
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2 eggs, beaten

Filling
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
6 ounces raspberries

Frosting
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Pink food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Into a saucepan, put butter and water, and bring to a boil. Add flour all at once and beat thoroughly until mixture leaves the side of the pan. Cool slightly, then vigorously beat in eggs, one at a time. Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch tip and pipe 20 to 24 (3-inch) strips onto dampened baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375F (190C); bake 20 minutes more, until golden.

Slit the side of each ?clair, then leave on wire racks to cool.

To make filling, in a bowl, whip cream and confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form. Put into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch tip. Pipe the filling into each ?clair. Put a few raspberries in each ?clair.

To make frosting, in a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice and enough water to make a smooth paste. Add pink coloring, if desired. Spread frosting over ?clairs and let set.

Makes 20.