Overnight Cherry Danish

Name: Overnight Cherry Danish
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 3 dozen.
Ingredients: 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast; 1/2 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°); 6 cups all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup sugar; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 cup cold butter, cubed; 1-1/2 cups warm half-and-half cream (70° to 80°); 6 large egg yolks; 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling; ICING:; 3 cups confectioners' sugar; 2 tablespoons butter, softened; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; Dash salt; 4 to 5 tablespoons half-and-half cream

These rolls with their cherry-filled centers melt in your mouth and store well, unfrosted, in the freezer. —Leann Sauder, Tremont, Illinois

Ingredients

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1-1/2 cups warm half-and-half cream (70° to 80°)
6 large egg yolks
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
ICING:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
4 to 5 tablespoons half-and-half cream

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add yeast mixture, cream and egg yolks; stir until mixture forms a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into four portions. Roll each portion into an 18x4-in. rectangle; cut into 4x1-in. strips.
Place two strips side by side; twist together. Shape into a ring and pinch ends together. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining strips. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 1/2-in.-deep indentation in the center of each Danish. Fill each with about 1 tablespoon pie filling. Bake 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
For icing, in a bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and enough cream to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over Danish.

Nutrition Facts

1 danish: 218 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 55mg cholesterol, 188mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.

Originally published as Cherry Filled Rolls in Taste of Home December/January 2010

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Charity and Faith

Apr 7, 2018

Great cipe, my family loved them!! Make sure you make the danish rings have a very small hole, so that when they rise there isn't one. I added 2 Tbsp of cream cheese and about a 1/4 tsp of extract to the icing.
Donna

Dec 13, 2017

Deleting one star just for the confusion in the recipe. I found this recipe in my Taste of Home Best Loved Recipes cookbook. I followed the directions carefully. However, upon rising in the morning (like other reviewers), my dough had not risen at all. It was just like it was when I put it in the fridge the night before. I was about to throw out the entire lump of dough, but decided to check on line to see if there was a typo with the recipe in the book or something. Nope, just the same. Thankfully...many reviewers had the same issue as I did. Just continue doing as the recipe states and your rolls will turn out perfectly. (I guess the rising over night is unnecessary.) They are light and flaky like a croissant. The dough is only slightly sweet. They turned out bigger than I thought they would...they are about the size of my palm. Remind me of a kolache, only the dough is lighter and flakier. Were fun to make once I realized they weren't ruined, and will make a nice addition to Christmas Dinner.
Psalm127-3

Dec 19, 2016

I want to thank Leanne S for posting this great sounding recipe.I'm giving this 3 stars only because there are already issues. hope the end result is supergood.the idea, ingredients and looks of this recipe caught my eye and attention. I'm an experienced baker so the work involved didn't faze me and used my KitchenAid. first problem was my yeast didn't dissolve in my warm milk. yeast is new and milk warmed and checked by thermometer. second problem was my dough did not form a 'soft anything' as stated in recipe. so I scraped it out of KA bowl, halved it and set in 2 zipper 'sprayed' bags to rise. placed inside the oven as I know dough will rise in frig but no draft or coolness in oven, better conclusion for me. today I'll buy the can of cherry pie filling and finish recipe tomorrow. my fingers are crossed.
TH420

Apr 1, 2016

Have made this recipe several times and have always had great results. Making it again today to donate to a benefit. Not sure why some people are having trouble, I follow this recipe to the letter each time with no problem. I would recommend making sure that you activated the yeast. As with any yeast recipe, it will start rising as it warms up (if you have refrigerated it) and will continue to rise as it should during the 45 minutes between shaping them and putting them into your oven. Thank you so much for the recipe.
randcbruns

Jan 29, 2016

These are always a hit with the family! They do take some planning but they are so work it. Like someone else has mentioned, frozen sweet dough is a good way to cut out a few steps and not have to make this the day ahead!
abreendre

Jan 3, 2016

I rolled the dough out next morning, cut into squares and shaped when I put them on baking sheet. Tasted and looked great Probably took 45 min. off preparation time. Great flavor. Will make many more times [my method]. Thanks for the tip on sugar and rising.
chefagogo

Dec 13, 2015

If your in a hurry you can use frozensweet dough. Thaw, roll out as directed and follow recipe.
Linda_from_NH

Dec 13, 2015

I got rave reviews when I served this for Christmas breakfast and many requests for the recipe. They came out perfect!
italianrose987

Jun 25, 2015

Second time's the charm! We also had big problems with the dough not rising while in the fridge overnight... here's how we did it:Put a little sugar in the yeast/milk combo in the beginning to help the yeast wake up. We used fresh yeast the second time too for good measure. Secondly, leave the dough outside of the fridge in a draft-free spot (aka oven that's turned off) for like an hour before chilling it. This step gives the yeast time to set up before putting it back to sleep in the fridge. It rose considerably more that way by the time we took it out of the fridge next morning. Yielding fluffy, croissant-like danishes. :)Also, notes for what we added to the dough to give it flavor: 1tsp or so almond extract (for half the recipe) and half a grated Tonka bean. The cream cheese filling recipe by nw1653 (see below) is fantastic! Good luck and enjoy!
sweetbabysam

Apr 15, 2015

cherylwhit? When making in your bread maker, did you still have to refrigerate overnight?