ALMOND CRESCENT PASTRY RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in almond paste, separating pieces to coat each with flour mixture.
• In small bowl, combine milk, almond extract and egg; blend well. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• On floured surface, gently knead dough about 6 times. Divide dough in half; shape each into ball. Pat each ball into 5-inch round with center higher than edges. Brush with milk; sprinkle with almonds and sugar. Cut each round into 6 wedges. Place wedges 1 inch apart on sprayed cookie sheet.
• Bake at 400°F. for 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper; spray generously with cooking spray. Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise. On cookie sheet, place crescent triangles lengthwise in long row, pointing same direction, with edges overlapping slightly on cookie sheet. Press overlapping edges together to help seal, but leave triangle points free.
• In small bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar with spoon until well blended. Spread cream cheese mixture in 2 1/2-inch wide strip lengthwise on widest part of dough, leaving 1/2-inch edge. In small bowl, toss raspberries and preserves; place on top of cream cheese layer.
• Fold over tips of dough to enclose filling; pinch ends of dough on edge to attach. Gently picking up top end of dough, curve one end of strip to form top of cane. Brush dough with melted butter; sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon granulated sugar over top.
• Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet. Use spatula to carefully help slide Danish from parchment to serving platter, loosening edges with spatula first, if needed. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of the milk until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, add additional drops of milk. Drizzle with fork over top. Serve warm.