It’s all about mom! Surprise her in bed with a warm, flaky danish and a cup of coffee. I know I would be thrilled at such a gesture. This lovely Cherry Almond Danish is made with ready-made puff pastry and can be assembled ahead of time, making it easy to have ready for the oven. With its flaky pastry, fruity filling and cream cheese layer this danish makes for a perfect brunch item for Easter, Mother’s Day or any entertaining occasion.
Using pre-made puff pastry gives you peace of mind that it will be flaky and golden with very little effort. The cherry sauce has a hint of almond flavouring as does the sticky sweet glaze and it’s topped with toasted almonds. It’s a combination I love and it’s so easy to make, giving you no excuse not to treat that special lady or welcomed quests.
Combine cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until cherries are soft and syrupy about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl whisk together 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 1 tbsp cold water. Stir into cherries and whisk constantly over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a full boil.
Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425℉ and line a heavy baking sheet with parchment.
In a small bowl cream together cream cheese, 1 tbsp of powdered sugar and vanilla.
Lay puff pastry sheet on parchment and stretch slightly in width and length to 11-12".
Using a pastry scraper or knife cut 1" wide fingers on the top and bottom third of pastry (length of fingers will be 3-4") and the centre 4" portion will be uncut (see photo).
Spread cream cheese evenly along the centre uncut 4" portion of pastry.
Spread cherry filling evenly on top of the cream cheese filling, leaving the fingers uncovered.
Pull fingers across filling, alternating sides as you go (it's ok to have some small spaces in the pastry). Tuck any excess pastry underneath.
In a small bowl whisk together egg and 1 tbsp milk or cream. Brush generously onto pastry.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-28 minutes until golden and puffed. Remove from oven to a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
Glaze
In a small bowl whisk together 1/2cup powdered sugar and 1 tbsp milk or cream. Drizzle over pastry while warm and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
Serve warm, cutting into 1 1/2" slices.
Recipe Notes
-Toast almonds in a preheated 350℉ oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring once.
-Using a pastry cutter to cut fingers allows a clean cut without cutting through the parchment.
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Guilt Free Eggs Benny is the perfect way to enjoy Mother’s Day without sacrificing on everyones favourite, Eggs Benedict. The golden cauliflower cakes are gluten free, low in fat and carbs, and high in fibre. Poached eggs and ham provide protein and are super delicious topped with a lemony avocado sauce. You won’t miss a thing with this delicious and nutritious take on a classic. Guilt Free Eggs Benny make a wonderful weekend brunch for Mother’s Day.Â
I’ve never been much of a dieter per se and I’m even less a fan of fad diets. The only fad diet I’ve tried was the Atkins Diet about 17 years ago. It’s not that it didn’t work, but as with most fad diets it didn’t foster a consistent long term healthy diet and lifestyle. Let’s just say I’m a firm believer of everything in moderation, proper portion sizes, healthy choices and regular exercise. I can preach this because I’ve been the same weight within 10 pounds give or take since I can remember. Â
It does seem that as I get older it’s a bit harder to maintain. Could be metabolism, hormones, but mostly I think it’s the wine starting to make a gain. So it can be said again that healthy choices are at play here. Drinking too much in general is not a healthy choice, but my reality is that I’d rather do more exercise than not enjoy a couple glasses of wine when I choose.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll devour a plate of cheesy nachos like it’s my last meal too, but again it’s in moderation. I could also seriously stand to eat more leafy greens and whole fruits, so believe me, I’m not perfect. But overall I tend to eat reasonably well and get regular exercise. So for those of you like myself who want to make those healthy choices without sacrificing deliciousness, you’ll love these Guilt Free Eggs Benny. Enjoy!
Recipe source for Guilt Free Eggs Benny: Â Compelled To Cook
Cut trimmed cauliflower into large pieces. Boil or steam cauliflower until just tender, about 5-6 minutes depending on size of pieces. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Allow to drain completely and press dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
Using a food processor, pulse together cooked cauliflower, oat flour, eggs, salt and pepper until combined and cauliflower is broken down into small bits. (you want some texture remaining) Stir in parmesan cheese, green onions, and parsley.
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non stick pan over medium heat. Using approximately 1/4 cup of cauliflower mixture form into patties by scooping into a 3" ring mold set in the bottom of the pan and flatten with a spoon. Remove the ring mold and repeat for remaining cakes. Alternatively, you can drop 1/4 cup of mixture into hot pan and flatten into a 3" disk using the back of a spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden and keep warm uncovered in a 200℉ oven. Repeat with remaining cauliflower mixture to make a total of 8 cakes.
Avocado Sauce
Split avocado in half and remove pit. Scoop out flesh into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. With processor running, slowly add water until desired consistency is reached. Taste for seasoning and spoon over eggs.
Assembly
Using the same pan from cooking the cauliflower cakes, gently warm ham or back bacon while eggs are cooking.
Fill a large shallow pan with 2"-3" of water and add 2 tbsp of white vinegar. Heat to a simmer. Poach 8 eggs by first cracking 1 egg into a small bowl and sliding egg gently into the water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cook for 4 minutes for soft eggs. Scoop out egg using a slotted spoon and rest onto a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess water.
Top each cauliflower cake with 1 ounce of ham or back bacon. Add a poached egg to each and top with a generous spoonful of avocado sauce. Garnish with chives if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
To make oat flour, grind 1/2 cup oatmeal in a spice grinder until flour like.
Today I am compelled to bake a luscious lemon loaf. What makes this loaf special is the addition of ricotta cheese. It adds body, moisture and makes a tender crumb, and the poppy seeds add a nice little crunch. The whole combination is wonderful and a great addition to many occasions but especially Mother’s Day because it’s spring, it’s lemon and it’s mother worthy!!
The original recipe comes from www.alexandracooks.com a website that I have followed for some time. Not only does she have a great site with fantastic recipes, she also writes and collaborates with Food 52, whom I also follow.
I have made this loaf many times as it is and it is wonderful! However earlier this month I made it for Mother’s Day for my mother in law . I was looking for a little sweet treat to end a feast of eggs mornay on a bed of spinach with sausage and fresh fruit. I didn’t want to serve squares or cookies, so this lemon loaf was just a perfect fit for the occasion. Sweet, but not overly, buttery but not too rich….a perfect end to my Mother’s Day Brunch.
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Print Recipe
A tender and moist lemon loaf great for any occasion.
Servings
1loaf
Servings
1loaf
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Print Recipe
A tender and moist lemon loaf great for any occasion.
Preheat oven to 350℉. Butter a 9x5x3" loaf pan and set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt and set aside.
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat butter and sugar until soft and well creamed, about 2 minutes. Add ricotta cheese and beat for an additional minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate after each egg. Add lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour mixture all at once and mix until just incorporated.
Pour batter into greased pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool on wire rack before removing from pan.
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