APRICOT DANISH
These spiraled pastries are just a bit fancier than their cream cheese counterparts, and not that much harder to put together. They are a beautiful addition to any breakfast or brunch table, and I love making them around the holidays for friends and neighbors. Any flavored jam can be substituted for the apricot. makes 8 danish pastries
½ recipe Easy Danish Dough
¼ cup apricot jam (or any other flavor you like)
Flour a work surface and roll the Easy Danish Dough into a 10 by 14-inch rectangle, flouring as needed so the dough doesn’t stick. Use a pastry cutter to trim any rough edges of the rectangle and discard them. Cut the dough vertically into 8 even pieces.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Hold one end of a dough strip in place with one hand. Using your other hand, twist the strip into a spiral. Curl the spiral strip into a snail shape. Tuck the loose end of the strip underneath the snail (see here ). Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the snails 2 inches apart. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy (similar to a marshmallow when pressed), about 1½ hours.
Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Just before baking, gently press the center of each dough snail to make a spot for the jam, trying not to push on the rest of the dough. Lightly brush the dough with egg wash and then place a scant teaspoon of jam in the center of each piece. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until the Danish pastries are golden brown.
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Drizzle the Danish pastries with Confectioners’ Sugar Glaze.
NOTE: This recipe can easily be doubled to make 16 Danish pastries.