Laura and the Giant Danish

My sweet, little friend (and co-worker) Laura loves treats. Whether it’s a granola bar, piece of candy or a Hostess Orange Cupcake (my kryptonite), we both require a treat of some sort after lunch every day.

Today, Laura and I went on a treat hunt to the local convenience store. I opted out and got a pumpkin iced coffee, while Laura decided today was the day for a danish. A big, plastic-wrapped cheese danish.

Her treat of choice reminded me of a great shortcut recipe for a cheese Danish. Now I prefer to bake from scratch, so long as time and money can permit (some ingredients can be pricey!), but sometimes, shortcuts are in order. This recipe is perfect for a weekend morning with a cup of coffee or tea and can be ready in under an hour.

Apricot Cheese Danish

Two 8 oz. tubes of crescent roll dough

Two 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1 cup + 2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

3 tbsp. melted butter

1/4 cup apricot preserves, slightly warmed

Glaze

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

3 tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Separate 1 can of crescent rolls. Press triangles together to form a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Spread apricot preserves in a thin layer over the sough. In an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg. Spread over apricot layer. Lay the last layer of crescent dough over cream cheese layer. Be sure edges are pinched together. Brush melted butter over dough. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 30 minutes.

To make glaze, combine confectioner's sugar and milk to create a thin, "glazey" sauce. Pour sauce into a pastry or Ziploc bag (if using Ziploc, snip the corner) Drizzle icing over cooled danish.

Enjoy!