Brie Danishes

These can be made with any variety of jam, or no jam at all. I found this bread dough to be quite satisfying in these pastries, but different doughs would work too (like brioche or laminated doughs).


Dough

5-6 cups flour
1 tbsp yeast
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups very warm water
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter

Filling

1 wedge of brie cheese (6-8 oz)
1/2 cup jam or preserves (my favorites are apricot and strawberry)

Glaze

1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable or walnut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 or more tbsp water

Combine 2 cups of flour, yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar. Stir in water. Let sit 12-24 hours unrefrigerated. In mixing bowl, combine the egg, butter, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar. Add yeast mixture. Add remaining flour in 1/2 cup intervals until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead for 8 minutes. Let dough double in the refrigerator (at least 8 hours).

Grease 2 cookie sheets. Separate the dough into 12 pieces. Form each piece into a disk. On each flattened piece of dough, place 1 slice of brie cheese and a spoonful of jam in the middle. Pull the edges of the dough over the filling so that it is completely covered on all sides, forming a little bun. Make sure the edges are sealed, and place face down (sealed edges down) on prepared cookie sheets. With a very sharp knife, score X's onto the tops of each bun. Let rise at least 1 hour.

Brush tops with oil.
Preheat oven to 350˚. Bake pastries 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Brush glaze evenly over each pastry while still warm. Let cool on racks, or consume while hot!


For glaze:

Combine sugar and salt in small saucepan. Add oil, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of water. The glaze should be thick, but still liquid (not frosting-like). Heat slowly, stirring constantly, until the glaze loses its opacity and becomes clear.

Maple Blueberry Cheesecake Torte

Cake:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups frozen blueberries

Cheesecake:

2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
1/3 cup maple or brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
2/3 cup maple syrup (grade B if possible)
!/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs


Frosting:

1 tsp gelatin
3 tbsp water
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup maple syrup (grade B)


For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350˚. Line 15x12 rimmed cookie or jelly roll sheet with parchment paper. Grease the paper.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until pale yellow and smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts. Fold in the blueberries. Pour into prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

For Cheesecake:

Preheat oven to 350˚. Line 15x12 rimmed cookie or jelly roll sheet with parchment paper. Grease the paper.
Beat cream cheese in large bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with paddle attachment until very smooth. Add maple sugar, flour, and salt; beat until well blended and smooth. Add maple syrup, sour cream, and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat just until blended after each addition. Tap bowl several times on counter to release any air bubbles. Pour filling into prepared baking sheet.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until set in the middle.

For Frosting:

Soften gelatin by sprinkling it over the 3 tbsp of water and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Microwave the mixture for 1 minute, or until mixture is clear. Cool slightly.
Beat whipping cream and maple syrup together until cream holds soft peaks. While beating, slowly add gelatin mixture. Beat until cream is stiff, but be careful not to overbeat.

Assembly:

Divide the cake into 3 even sections (should be about 5 inches each). Do the same with the cheesecake. Starting with the blueberry cake, stack the layers, alternating (cake, cheesecake, cake, etc...). Trim any edge that sticks out significantly further than the others. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the whipped frosting. Refrigerate for an hour or more (up to 12 hours), and serve!