Poppy Seed Danishes With Cherry Cream Cheese Filling Food

POPPY-SEED DANISHES WITH CHERRY-CREAM CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Make the dough: Warm milk, butter, and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat until mixture reaches 120 degrees on a candy thermometer. (Butter will not melt completely.) Pour warm milk mixture over yeast in the bowl of a mixer; whisk to combine. Cover with 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Using the dough-hook attachment, mix dough on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl, until a sticky dough forms. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low, and mix in 1 1/2 cups flour. (If dough is too sticky, mix in an additional 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Continue to mix until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 5 minutes more.
• Using floured hands, turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough into a ball, and transfer to a large buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place until dough is doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Return dough to lightly floured surface, and punch down. Reshape into a ball. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk. Add poppy seeds, and beat until evenly distributed.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 16-inch square. Trim edges using a sharp paring knife to form a 15-inch square. (If dough seems too warm or too elastic, refrigerate or freeze for 10 minutes.) Cut dough into nine 5-inch squares, and divide between 2 baking sheets.
• Cut a 2-inch line from the 4 corners of each square into the center. Spread a heaping tablespoon filling onto each. Dollop centers with a heaping teaspoon preserves. Fold the 2 top corners into the center of each square. Repeat with remaining corners to form petals. Brush petals with egg wash. Bake until deep golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: Mix together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use. (If glaze gets stiff, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.)
• Drizzle Danishes with glaze, and let stand for 10 minutes.

SWEET DANISH HAMANTASCHEN WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING & POPPYS

Steps:

• To Prepare Filling: Beat together cream cheese, honey and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, salt, and orange zest. Mix until cohesive.
• To Prepare Poppy Seed Streusel: Beat all ingredients on low speed until the mixture crumbles. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To Prepare Dough: In a mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. Add cold, cubed butter with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for about 3 minutes or until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add all wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until dough forms a batter.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let set in a refrigerator overnight. After 24 hours remove dough from bowl and place on a well-floured surface. Flour the top of the dough and roll into a 12X4" rectangle. With the rectangle horizontal to you fold the right third of the dough over the left creating a letter fold. Wrap in plastic wrap and return to refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes. Repeat the letter fold technique two more times (alternating left, then right).After the third turn is complete let rest in refrigerator for 30 more minutes. Remove dough from refrigerator and place dough on well-floured surface and roll out to 1/4" thick, keeping it as close to a square as possible.
• Cut the Danish into 3" squares and place about 1 tablespoon of filling (filling recipe below) into the center of the square. Sprinkle the streusel (streusel recipe below) on top and bring corners into the center forming a pouch.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Brush dough with egg whites and sprinkle with more streusel. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and dust with powder sugar.