Pumpkin, Cream Cheese and Cranberry Danish

Ingredients

FILLING

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

GLAZE

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 teaspoons milk or half and half

DANISH

• 1 batch of Danish Dough, made ahead (recipe follows)
• 1 cup of your favorite cranberry sauce

DOUGH

• 4 sticks unsalted butter, cool but pliable
• 6 1/4 cups Swans Down® Cake Flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 4 large eggs

Directions

1. MAKE DOUGH: (Allow plenty of time for dough to chill according to instructions.) Cut butter sticks in half lengthwise (to make 8 pieces). Lay 4 pieces of butter side by side on plastic wrap. Dust with flour, place another piece of plastic wrap on top of the butter. Roll butter out into a 5×9-inch rectangle. Repeat with remaining 4 pieces of butter. Set aside.
2. WHISK flour, sugar and yeast in a large bowl; add salt. Whisk again and set aside.
3. MIX milk, water and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
4. ADD flour mixture into milk mixture. Knead until dough ball forms and is smooth.
5. REMOVE from bowl onto floured surface. Roll out into 12×24-inch rectangle. Place one butter disk on the center third of the dough. Fold one side over the butter. Place the second butter disk on on top of folded dough. Fold remaining dough over second butter piece (result should be a rectangle). Pinch the open ends and side to close.
6. FOLD dough so the long side is nearest to you. Roll out dough into an 8×16 inch rectangle. Fold one end of the dough over the center third of the dough. Fold other end over top. Lightly dust with flour, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
7. REMOVE from refrigerator and again roll into an 8×16-inch rectangle and repeat the folding process. Refrigerate for another 20 minutes. Repeat folding process again. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight.
8. PREHEAT oven to 400℉. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
9. MAKE FILLING: Cream the cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until fully combined. Set aside.
10. MAKE GLAZE: Mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon milk together in a bowl. Add more milk if needed.
11. MAKE DANISHES: Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut dough in half; rewrap one dough half and place back in refrigerator. Place dough half on a floured surface and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles.
12. PLACE 6 of the circles on the prepared sheet pan and egg wash the tops. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut a smaller circle into the remaining 6 circles, discarding the centers to create rings. Place the rings atop the first 6 circles.
13. SPOON 2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling into the center of each circle.
14. REMOVE remaining half of dough from refrigerator and repeat process.
15. BRUSH egg wash on top edges of each danish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes. Top each Danish with a dollop of cranberry sauce and drizzle with glaze.