Mmmm...Danish

One of the things my boys served me for breakfast on Mother's Day was Cheese Danish from my favorite bakery.  I love Cheese Danish, but have never made my own.  WD hasn't enjoyed any danish pastries since he's gone gluten-free, so I thought it was high time to rectify that situation.  I set about to make some Raspberry Danish as well as some cheese ones(my fave.)

I started by proofing 1 package of active dry yeast in 1/2 cup of 115 degree milk for 5 minutes.  To that, I added 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup vanilla flavored agave nectar.  I was wandering around HomeGoods the other day and came across various bottles of flavored agave nectar, I brought home several flavors.  You never know what you might find at HomeGoods.

In a separate bowl, I whisked together 1/2 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup tapioca flour, 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/4 cup sweet rice flour, 1/2 tsp xanthan gum, and 1/8 tsp salt.  I combined the dry ingredients to the wet in my mixer bowl.

I added 1 stick of butter to the dough 1 tablespoon at a time with the beater going.

The dough will be very wet and sticky.  Turn it out on a board, or your counter, liberally dusted with sweet rice flour.  Shape it into a ball, and place in an oiled bowl.

Place the bowl in a warm spot to rise.  In an hour it will have doubled in size.  Turn it out onto your floured counter.

Gently roll it out to a 14x10 rectangle.

Dab 3 tbsps of softened butter over 2/3 of the rectangle.

Fold it up into 1/3s like an envelope.

Roll it out into a roughly 18x8 rectangle.

Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 10 diamond shapes.  With your fingers, press down the center of each diamond.  This indent will be for the filling.

For the cheese filling, I beat together 1/4 brick of cream cheese with 3 tbsps honey.  For the raspberry filling, I beat together 1/4 brick of cream cheese with 2 tbsps raspberry agave nectar, and topped this schmear with a generous tsp of raspberry jam.

I brushed some eggwash along the edges of the pastry and after letting them rise for another 45 minutes, popped them in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.

  After pulling them from the oven, I placed them on a cooling rack and drizzled them with a glaze of 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and enough milk to make it a drizzling consistency.

Thanks for popping in and baking with me.  I'm linking this up to Gluten-Free Homemaker's Gluten-Free Wednesdays.