Apple Danish (2 Ways)

Danishes Made With Crescent Rolls

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick spray
2. Open the can of pie filling and, using kitchen shears, cut the apples into small pieces, set aside.
3. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside
4. Open a can of crescent rolls and unroll the dough. Separate the dough so that you have 4 rectangles. Two triangles equal one rectangle. Pinch the seams together to create one sold piece.
5. Use a pastry brush to coat the front side of the rectangle with butter.
6. Generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the entire rectangle.
7. Roll the dough into a log starting on the long side.
8. Coil the dough into a spiral and pinch the end of the log into the side of the spiral and/or tuck underneath.
9. Use your fingers to create a well in the center of the dough. Feel free to stretch the dough a little to make a slightly larger Danish.
10. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of pie filling to the well.
11. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the entire Danish.
12. Continue the process with the remaining ingredients ending with 8 Danishes.
13. Bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or under the dough is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
14. Mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
15. Drizzle the glaze over each roll.
16. Enjoy!

Danishes made with Puff Pastry and cream cheese mixture:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. If making apple pie filling from scratch, add the water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking constantly.
4. Once the mixture begins to boil, stir and cook until the sauce thickens.
5. Add the apples to the sauce and stir to mix. Turn the temperature to low and simmer with a lid on but vented until the apples are tender. Approximately 8-10 minutes.
6. While the apples simmer, beat the cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until smooth.
7. Add the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice and mix for approximately two minutes or until everything is smooth.
8. Gently unroll the puff pastry and using a pasta cutter or sharp knife, divide the dough into thirds along the seams and then into thirds again, widthwise to create 6 squares.
9. Place the squares on the baking sheet.
10. Fold a square in half from corner to opposite corner created a triangle with the open part of the triangle facing the top of the baking sheet.
11. Take a sharp knife and starting ½ inch from the top of the peak, begin to slice through the dough down along the left side of the triangle down to the bottom left corner leaving 1” of dough on the outside. (See directions)
12. Go back to the top of the triangle and leaving a ½ inch space between the first cut, make the second cut along the other side leaving 1” of dough on the outside.
13. Open the pastry square and take one corner of the dough, at the end where there is a full cut and bring it over to the opposite corner.
14. Take the other side up and over that piece to the other side creating a square with a pocket.
15. Take a Tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture and put it into the center of each square.
16. Then add 1-2 Tablespoons of the pie filling on top of the cream cheese.
17. In a small bowl, beat one egg and add 2 Tablespoons of water. Combine well.
18. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the visible dough.
19. Bake at 425 for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. (Oven temps and times vary)
20. Remove to cool.
21. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and drizzle over the baked Danishes.