Make Ahead

Cherry-Eggnog Cream Pastries

Prep Time: 50 Minutes Start to Finish: 10 Hours 55 Minutes 12 pastries

1 In large bowl, stir 2 cups of the flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, the salt and yeast. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup milk and the butter until very warm (120°F to 130°F). Add milk mixture and whole egg to flour mixture. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough of the remaining 2 to 3 cups flour to make dough easy to handle.

2 On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with large bowl; let rest 10 minutes.

3 Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 12-inch rope. Twist 2 ropes together; coil into circle with edge built up higher than center. On cookie sheets, place pastries 3 inches apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

4 About 2 hours before serving, remove pastries from refrigerator. Let stand covered in warm place 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.

5 Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, stir cream cheese, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 egg yolk, ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon rum extract and the nutmeg with spoon until smooth.

6 Gently shape each pastry with fingers to form 2-inch-wide indentation in center. Brush dough with egg yolk–water mixture. Spoon 1½ teaspoons cream cheese mixture into one side of each indentation; spoon 3 or 4 cherries into other side.

7 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool 30 minutes.

8 In small bowl, stir icing ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle icing over pastries.

1 Pastry: Calories 390; Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 9g, Trans Fat 0.5g); Cholesterol 80mg; Sodium 330mg; Total Carbohydrate 57g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 6g Exchanges: 1½ Starch, 2½ Other Carbohydrate, 3 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4

Festive Touch Leftover cherry pie filling can make anything festive! Spread it on toast or atop cream cheese on your breakfast bagel, or spoon over ice cream or brownies for a special treat.

Kitchen Secrets If you want to make and bake these pastries the same day, make as directed through Step 3—except do not refrigerate. Let rise in warm place 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size. Heat oven and continue as directed.