Oma came back from several weeks at the Lake (she and Opa were there supervising some major construction and working on projects) with a new recipe that she was raving about. It seems the neighbor next door had come over with a plate of freshly baked cheese danish and the recipe. He has (or has had) a bakery in Florida so he definitely knows his danish. He also told Oma that if she made it for her friends, she would be very popular. The handwritten recipe had "EASY" in big letters next to the title .... and guess what? It really is 'easy'! It is also yummy-delicious (my description) if you love danish. Oma gave the recipe to Aunt H. and she whipped up a batch for company .... I just happened to be over at her house while she was making it so I got a taste test. Let's just say it 'exceeded my expectations' in a big way.
Just imagine this scene: dawn on the Lake ..... you carry down to the dock deck some fresh cheese danish, a nice breakfast casserole, bowl of fruit, and an insulated pot of coffee, maybe some tea and orange juice ... whatever floats your boat (you are on a boat dock!). While breakfasting, you can 'watch the world wake up' on the Lake. Actually, just cheese danish warm out of the oven and coffee would fill the bill. However simple or complicated, it sounds like a future plan to me! First step .... make the cheese danish, so here's the recipe:
Oven/pan:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray/grease a 9 x 13 dish or pan
Ingredients:
- 2 containers (tubes) of crescent roll dough
- 12 oz. of cream cheese softened (you can make do with 8 oz., but 12 is better!)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs (1 for the filling, 1 for an egg 'wash')
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- confectioner's sugar
To assemble:
- Roll out two halves of one tube in the bottom of your dish (it will be covered) ... no need to separate the triangles.
- Beat the cream cheese with the sugar, add one egg and vanilla and beat again.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough in the pan.
- Roll out the second tube of crescent roll dough and cover the cream cheese mixture.
- Using one whole egg (no need to separate white from yolk), egg wash the top of the dough.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown (Aunt H. had to bake for 25 to 28 minutes .... time will vary as ovens vary, just watch for the right color and you'll be fine).
- After the danish has cooled for 20 minutes or more, you can drizzle the top with icing made of confectioner's sugar mixed with milk.
Cook's notes:
1. Aunt H. wanted to add a little 'extra' something to her danish. She took some strawberry jam (about a tablespoon and a half or maybe two) and mixed it in a small bowl until it was a consistency that would drizzle off a spoon. This was drizzled over the cheese mixture in 'lines', then swirled in with a knife. Any flavor you like could be used..
2. We did not have the confectioner's sugar icing on our taste-test danish .... I didn't miss it at all - didn't even know it was supposed to be on there until I read the recipe so you can leave it off .... one less thing to do. I suspect however, having it on there would not only look attractive, but add a little extra burst of sweetness that a lot of people would like.
Danish on the dock watching the sunset? I could go for that, too!
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