Double Chocolate Easter Danish Recipes

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE EASTER DANISH

Steps:

• Make the dough a day ahead if you have time. Beat the milk and egg in a jug. Put the flour, yeast, sugar and butter in a food processor with a pinch of salt. Pulse until the mix starts to come together, but is still flecked with pieces of butter. Tip into a bowl and use your hands to work in the contents of the jug. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead slightly, then roll out to a rectangle and fold the two short sides over so the edges meet in the middle, then fold into the middle again. Roll out and fold twice more, flouring the surface as you work. Cover the dough with cling film, then rest it in the fridge for at least 4 hrs or overnight.
• For the filling, tip 150g of the almonds into a food processor with the icing sugar and cocoa powder and blitz until combined. Add the butter and egg white, pulse to a paste, then fold in the chocolate and set aside.
• Split the dough in two and press one half into the base of a 23cm non-stick springform cake tin. Spread the filling over the middle of the dough, leaving a border, and top with the remaining dough. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for about an hour.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush over the top to glaze. Sprinkle with the remaining almonds and a little caster sugar and bake for 40-50 mins until puffed up and golden. Leave to cool for an hour. Mix the icing sugar with a few drops cold water to make a runny icing and drizzle it over the cake. Serve in wedges with coffee, or with ice cream for dessert.

CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses, egg yolk, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
• Cut each sheet of pastry into 4 equal-sized squares. Put 4 pastry squares on each prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 2 to 3 teaspoons of the filling into the center of each piece of pastry. Fold 1 corner of the pastry diagonally over the filling to within 1-inch of the opposite corner. Using a pastry brush, brush the folded-over section lightly with the beaten egg. Fold the opposite corner over the egg-brushed pastry to form an open-ended Danish. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

DOUBLE-DUTCH CHOCOLATE HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a 1-qt. glass jar, layer the flour mixture, cocoa, sugar, brown sugar, M&M's and baking chips. Cover and store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month. Yield: 1 batch (about 4 cups total)., To prepare cookies: In a large bowl, beat the butter, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add contents of jar and beat just until combined. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly with a glass. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

DANISH EASTER CAKE (PAASKE KAGE)

Steps:

• Stir the yeast into the luke warm milk.
• Add sugar, egg, margarine in small bits.
• Add 3/4 of the flour.
• Work the dough with a wooden spoon, until it has combined.
• Then work the rest of the flour into the dough with the hands, but not more than just combined.
• Don't over work it.
• Let the dough rise with a small amount of flour dusting on top, cover with a clean dish-towel about 30 minutes in a normal kitchen temperature.
• Fill: Combine the butter, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and candied fruit.
• Roll the dough out on the table to oblong.
• Use a light hand in the soft dough.
• Spread the fill onto the dough, but not quite to the edges.
• Fold over the ends so the fill doesn't run out.
• Fold over the short part, so you now have 3 layers.
• Set the cake to rise again with a thin dish-towel to cover for another 30 minutes.
• Then brush carefully with cold coffee, or an whisked together egg, and sprinkle with sugar (not the fine kind) and 1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds.
• Bake in the middle part of oven at 400 degrees F about 30 minutes.
• Note: The cake will rise quite a bit and becomes surprisingly large.
• You can actually easily make two cakes instead of one if you wish.
• You can freeze the one, then thaw and reheat in the oven when needed.