Candy Cane Strudel Recipes

CANDY CANE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in vanilla and egg.
• Unfold puff pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 15x12-inch rectangle. Fold pastry in half lengthwise and transfer to cookie sheet; unfold pastry. Spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise down center third of rectangle. Spoon preserves by tablespoonfuls over cream cheese.
• On each long side of rectangle, make cuts 1 inch apart from edge of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling. To give braided appearance, fold alternate strips of dough at an angle completely across filling, forming a tight braid. Seal ends. Gently curve top of braid down to form handle of candy cane.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pan 15 minutes. Place on serving platter. Cool completely, about30 minutes.
• In small bowl, mix remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over braid. Garnish with pecans and cherries.

CANDY CANE COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Add buttermilk, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. (Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.)
• Grease 3 cookie sheets. Turn dough onto well-floured surface; gently knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll one part into rectangle, 15x9 inches. Place rectangle on cookie sheet.
• Mix apricots and chopped cherries. Spread one-third of the apricot mixture in a strip about 2 1/2 inches wide lengthwise down center of rectangle. Make cuts in dough at 1/2-inch intervals on both 15-inch sides almost to filling. Fold strips over filling, overlapping and crossing in center. Carefully stretch dough until 22 inches long; curve one end to form top of cane. Repeat with remaining 2 parts of dough. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)
• Heat oven to 375°F. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle Glaze over warm coffee cakes. Decorate with cinnamon candies.

HOLIDAY CHERRY CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a bowl, combine the butter, sour cream, eggs, sugar and salt. Add yeast mixture and flour; beat until smooth (do not knead). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and refrigerate overnight., For filling, in a bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until blended. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divided in half. Roll out each portion into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle on a greased baking sheet. Spread filling down center of each rectangle. On each long side, cut 1-1/2-in.-wide strips about 3 in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Pinch ends to seal. Curve one end, forming a candy cane. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour., Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Stir jam, then spoon over top of leaves, creating candy cane stripes. Refrigerate leftovers.

APPLE STRUDEL TWO WAYS

Steps:

• METHOD ONE - QUICKEST:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Using a slotted spoon, remove apples from the pie filling, discarding much of the thick liquid. Place in medium bowl; stir in walnuts, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and lemon zest.
• In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and mix well. On work surface, place one sheet of filo dough. Brush with butter and sprinkle with a generous teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat layers, using all of the filo dough.
• Spoon apple filling across one long end of the filo stack, leaving a 2" border along one long edge and the sides. Brush edges around apple filling with butter. Fold in side edges, then roll up filo dough, enclosing the filling. Brush edge with butter and seal. Brush butter over the entire roll.
• Using two spatulas, carefully place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 20-30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and crisp. Cool on pan for 10 minutes, then using two spatulas, remove to wire rack to cool. Serve warm.
• METHOD 2 - QUICK ENOUGH:.
• Place apple slices in a medium saucepan with the apple juice, 1 tablespoon flour, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the apples are crisp-tender. Cool completely.
• To the apples stir in walnuts, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and lemon zest.
• In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and mix well. On work surface, place one sheet of filo dough. Brush with butter and sprinkle with a generous teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat layers, using all of the filo dough.
• Spoon apple filling across one long end of the filo stack, leaving a 2" border along one long edge and the sides. Brush edges around apple filling with butter. Fold in side edges, then roll up filo dough, enclosing the filling. Brush edge with butter and seal. Brush butter over the entire roll.
• Using two spatulas, carefully place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 20-30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and crisp. Cool on pan for 10 minutes, then using two spatulas, remove to wire rack to cool. Serve warm.

CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Before you begin this recipe, please take a class from a professional on working with sugar. This is a skill that professional pastry chefs develop after years of experience. Working with sugar will burn your fingers so know before you start that your fingers will develop burn blisters. Place the sugar, vinegar and water in a saucepan over high heat. Insert a candy thermometer and cook until the sugar reaches 320 degrees F. Use a pastry brush to keep the inside of the saucepan clean as the sugar cooks or the sugar may recrystallize. To do this, dip a clean brush in cold water and brush the inside of the pan clean. Pour the cooked sugar onto 3 or 4 silicone baking mats. If you want to color and/or flavor the sugar with food colors and/or flavored oils, this is the time to do so. Add a few drops of color to the sugar. Mix with a wooden skewer. To get started, push the sugar from the sides toward the center. This process takes a little while. Try to keep the sugar divided by color. Use the mat to push the firm sugar around the edges toward the center. Use a folding motion to accomplish that task. The next step is to pick up the sugar with your hands. Place each color under the heat of the sugar lamp. Pull the sugar until it becomes glossy and the color is evenly distributed. You will need to pull the colors simultaneously. Keep them under the sugar lamp but keep an eye on them. The lamp can melt the sugar so it is important keep rotating it and folding it onto itself.
• Start with 2 pieces of colored sugar. I used red and green. Pull them into a rectangular shape that is about 1 1/2-inches wide by 3-inches long and 1/2-inch thick. Place the pieces side-to-side and let them stick together on the long side. Place a piece of white sugar that is about 1/2-inch wide by 3-inches long and 1/2-inch thick in the middle. Close the red and green around it. Roll it and twist it while pulling it. When it gets to the desired thickness, use a scissor to cut the length and shape into a cane. Allow to cool completely. The white is inside and will become apparent when eaten.
• Jacques? tips: Vinegar keeps the sugar from crystallizing. You will not taste the flavor. It serves as an acid in this recipe. Sometimes candy cane recipes contain corn syrup, which makes the sugar very dry and very hot. Adding corn syrup makes it more difficult to work with the sugar at home. Remember, the sugar is at 320 degrees F, and that will burn you. The ideal work surface is a silpat placed over cool marble or granite. If you do not have marble or stone, use wood. It is a good idea to use gloves to help protect your hands from the heat and to prevent burning.
• I use a special sugar box that includes a special heat source, If you don?t have one, you can work in front of the oven. Set the oven to 300 degrees F. Open the oven door and place the silpat on the oven door. It provides a similar effect to the sugar box heater.