BFMH: Danishes

Since both brothers are in town this weekend, I wasn't sure if I would be getting a chance to cook for Husband this Saturday morning so I made these during the week to remind Husband that I still think he is number one!

Easy Blackberry and Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients:
1 tube Pillsbury crescent rolls
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup fresh blackberries (or any berry you like!)

Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla.  Set aside. 

Open crescent roll dough and unroll, leaving crescents in rectangles.  

On an ungreased baking sheet, lay the crescent roll rectangles together, lining them up width wise.  Dough should be almost the entire length of a half sheet pan.  Press edges together to even out edges and seal any holes.  Cut 1/2 inch diagonal strips up each side of the dough.  Carefully spread cream cheese filling down the center of the dough to be about 2-3 inches wide.  Top with fresh berries.
Fold 1/2 inch dough pieces up over filling alternating sides to get a braided pattern.  You may have excess dough once you reach the end of the danish, so fold them in as best as you can.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling is set and crescent dough is golden in color.  Cool before removing from baking sheet.

Once danish has cooled, remove to serving platter. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and cream to create icing. You may need to add more cream to get the desired consistency. Drizzle icing over danish. Cut into pieces and serve.

I find that I have been the pre-made crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls, or pizza dough, but I really should be learning to make this dough myself, I think. I have made bread maybe twice in my life. I think I know what to put on my 31 by 31 list. Bread Mastery! I bet my friend Kris can help as she has a bread machine!

Anyway, the recipe originally called for an icing. I don't think it is necessary unless you desire a toothache later. The tang from the cream cheese and berries, plus the sugar and vanilla (and I put a tiny squirt of lemon in there as well) makes a great filling. In retrospect, maybe a bit of egg yolk and a sprinkle of sugar over the dough next time, but that is the fat kid in me talking. 

You might notice that the berries are well combined. I decided, as the black berries have some seeds in them, that mashing them in with the cream cheese mixture would create a nice texture which I believe it did. Husband gave this a hearty YUM this morning and I am stoked that I have finally made something so easy yet so removed from what I would think to make at home.