There are just those times when we as bakers desire to make a special occasion pastry, but don’t want to go to a lot of expense or effort. Well then, if you ever find yourself in that head space, this is the recipe for you.

When my kids were young, I made this pastry quite often at Christmas time. My daughter Paula especially adored this treat. And to this day, I totally love it too. And one of the main reasons is that it is delicious and ever so easy to make. And pretty, too.

And I know, I should have posted this recipe before Christmas, but I too was super busy. Why every year I add more things to my Christmas to-do list is a question best left for a trained counselor to determine. But the fact remains. Every year I think up at least one more goody to prepare for family and friends. So, basically, I’ve never had the time in December for even a quick trip to a trained professional to determine if there is any hope for people like me who suffer with MSS (Martha Stewart Syndrome). And it’s too bad. I seem to have a flaming case of this misunderstood but authentic condition, and I know plenty of others who also “yust go nuts at Christmas”. (Thank you, Stan Boreson.) The rest of the year, I seem to be able to contain my zest for producing prodigious amounts of goodies. So, who needs a counselor then? (For me it’s just a seasonal disorder. And maybe some time in the future, it will disappear just like my ability to drink wine has gone the way of the dinosaurs.) Grrrrrr

So, even though you may think you don’t really need this recipe until next Christmas, don’t forget about Easter morning, or for a Sunday brunch, or for a special Valentine’s Day breakfast for your honey. There are lots of occasions when this pastry would be a welcome addition to your menu.

And you can decorate this pastry any way you want. Valentines Day it would be fun to top the pastry with pink glaze and sprinkles. For Easter, pink glaze, pink coconut, and Cadbury mini eggs. The decorating choices are endless.

So, remember this recipe the next time you need to make something special for your family or friends. Think of this recipe as a gift from Betty Crocker. But who was Betty Crocker?

Well, according to bettycrocker.com “We got our start in 1921 — and thank you, we do look good for our age. Who could have guessed that a simple contest by The Washburn-Crosby Company would give birth to an icon? The contest called on home cooks to solve a jigsaw puzzle for the chance to win a pincushion in the shape of a bag of Gold Medal Flour (cute). Washburn, a flour-milling company and predecessor of General Mills, Inc., was surprised to find themselves suddenly inundated with questions from home cooks who used the competition as an opportunity to ask for expert baking advice.

But who could offer the public the spoonfuls of wisdom American cooks were so hungry for? Enter, Betty Crocker. Now, Betty was not a single person. The name was created as a way to personalize responses to questions, and if you guessed that the name has meaning behind it, you’re right. “Crocker” was chosen in honor of a popular company director, and “Betty” was selected because… well, she sounded friendly. We love a little history moment.

But there was one final element needed to bring Betty to life. The Washburn-Crosby Company invited their female employees to try their hand at a Betty Crocker signature. A distinctive winner was chosen and is still used today. Talk about an icon in iconography!”

My Betty Crocker cookbook (1961 First Edition, Third Printing) given to me in 1964 by my Aunt Ruth along with several baking pans and cookie sheets. I still have all the bake ware, but I’d rather still have my aunt. She lived to be 90, but I still miss her. She was a great woman and a true friend.

As you can see, the book is now in two parts. And if you look closely at the top left recipe on the right page, you will find the recipe for Danish Puff. As you can also see, this cookbook was very well used/loved. (Battered and bruised might be a better description.) And yes, I still consult it periodically. Old habits die hard.

So, to all of you who also learned to cook from reading a Betty Crocker cookbook (or any other cookbook for that matter) from cover to cover several times a year, congratulations. We did it. We read recipes, we made casseroles and soups and cookies, and were inspired to feed our family and friends both nutritious and delicious dishes. And has there ever been a better way to show our love. I think not! Keep up the good work everyone! Happy New Year.

And as always, peace and love to all.

Pastry: 

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

pinch fine sea salt

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

2 T. water

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a few times until the pieces are the size of coarse crumbs. Mix in the water. 

Or in a medium sized mixing bowl, cut the softened butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions, until pieces are the size of coarse crumbs. Mix in the water. 

Gather the pastry into a ball; divide in half. Pat each half into a 12×3-inch rectangle, about 3-inches apart, on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Topping:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 c. water

1 tsp. almond extract

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

3 eggs

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, heat the butter and water to a rolling boil; remove from heat. Quickly stir in almond extract and the 1 cup flour. (Stir as quickly as possible to prevent lumping.) When smooth, drop in 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition.  When smooth, spread half of the topping over each rectangle.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until topping is crisp and a nice, light brown.

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling with glaze and garnishing with sliced almonds and maraschino cherries. 

Vanilla Glaze:

½ c. powdered sugar

¼ tsp. almond extract

1-2 T.  milk

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and enough milk to make a thin icing.

Garnishes:

¼ c. lightly toasted sliced almonds

candied maraschino cherries, opt.