Cheesy danishes

I modified this from a recipe I found here. (I'll give the site credit, but it will go unnamed here, because I think he's a tool.)



Danish dough
3/4 c. warm water
1/2 c. + 2 tbs. warm soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1/4 c. unrefined cane sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 sticks Earth Balance margarine
~1/2 c. all-purpose flour


Remove the margarine from the refrigerator and set aside.

Combine the water, milk, and yeast in a large bowl and set aside. Sift together the flour, sugar, stach, salt, and nutmeg. By this time, your yeast mixture should look a little foamy. Add the vanilla, then add the dry mixture. Mix until everything is moistened, then gently knead until a smooth ball forms. Cover the bowl and set in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Tape a piece of parchment (about 12" square) to your work surface and lightly dust with flour. Slice each stick of margarine in half (lengthwise) and set on the parchment. Dust the top of the margarine with flour. Using a rolling pin, beat the butter until slightly softened and using the pin and your hands, form the butter into an 8" square. Lift the parchment off the counter and place in the refrigerator.

Remove the dough and set on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 16" square. Place your butter square in the center of the dough and fold the edges of the dough together, lightly pressing the seams to enclose the butter. Gently roll the dough into about a 24" x 8" rectangle. Fold it in thirds, lengthwise, so you have an 8" square again. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling 3 more times. You're making a bunch of buttery layers that will make your danishes nice and flakey.

After the dough has chilled it's final time, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/4" thick. It was easier for me to divide the dough in half and refrigerate the other half while I was working on the first.

Cut the dough into 4" squares. I got about 14 squares, plus a few scraps that I turned into impromptu raspberry jam danishes.


Filling
1 package Better than Cream Cheese (non-hydrog)
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix the filling ingredients together, then spoon about 1 tbs. in the center of each dough square. Spread the filling in a diagonal line, stopping about 1/2" from the corners. Fold the non-cheesed corners toward the center and press down lightly to seal. Brush with a wash of 1/4 c. soy milk and 2 tbs. sugar.



Let the danishes rise for about 30-40 minutes. They won't rise a lot, they'll just look a little more puffy. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and bake for 10 more. Cool danishes on a rack, then drizzle with icing made from 1/2 c. powdered sugar and about 1 tbs. of soy milk.


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