Holiday Danish

I confess, it's the weekend and I've been playing with Mincemeat again . . . an activity that I freely indulge myself in at this particular time of year!



I was surfing the web yesterday and I came across a recipe here for Easy Blackberry Cheese Danish. It looked really delicious and I printed it out.



Then I got to thinking . . . and we all know what happens then.



As scrummy as the idea of blackberries sounded . . . mincemeat sounded even better to me, and even more seasonal!



I mean . . . this is the festive time of year is it not??? The store shelves are stocked with a bazillion jars of mincemeat, in all sorts of scrummy flavours, just waiting for us to partake, right???



And so I did what any mincemeat obsessed person would do . . . I created a Holiday Danish that would be perfect for any holiday breakfast or brunch.



Flakey croissant dough . . . rich and creamy cheese filling . . . spicy and sweet mincemeat . . . baked until golden brown and then drizzled with a creamy sweet icing drizzle.



Oh my . . . wicked but OH SO GOOD!!!
Nom! Nom! I rest my case.



*Holiday Danish*
Serves 8Printable Recipe

Another cheat recipe which used refrigerator croissant dough. Flakey and delicious with a filling of mincemeat and cream cheese!

1 (250g) tube of Jus-Rol Croissant dough (in North America use Pillsbury Crescent Roll dough)
250g of full fat cream cheese (8 ounces)
3.5 ounces caster sugar (1/2 cup)
3 TBS sifted plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 of a (411g) jar of prepared mincemeat (1 cup)
demerara sugar (turbinado)

To ice:
2 ounces sifted icing sugar (1/2 cup)
2 TBS heavy cream
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Lightly butter. Set aside for now.

Whisk together the cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.

Pop open your croissant dough. Unroll, leaving the croissants in rectangles and separating the dough into 3 rectangles. Lay the rectangles out onto the prepared baking sheet as a larger rectangle, long sides touching each other. It should almost cover the baking sheet. Press all the perforations and edges together, sealing all holes. Cut 1/2 inch diagonal strips up each long side of the dough. Spoon the cream cheese filling down the centre of the dough, spreading it out to about 3 inches in width. Top with the minemeat, spreading it carefully over top. Fold the 1/2 inch wide strips over top of the filling, alternating from side to side so that you have somewhat of a braided pattern. Tuck in edges as best as you can. Sprinkle with some demerara sugar.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is set and the croissant dough is golden brown in colour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet and proceeding.

Once cooled, remove to a serving platter. Whisk together the icing ingredients and drizzle over the danish. Cut into slices to serve.

Note - over here in the UK, you can get the Jus-Rol croissant dough at ASDA. Stock up! It comes in ever so handy!



Over in The Cottage today there's a bone warming Corn Chowder brewing.