Almond Cherry Ring Recipes

CHERRY CRESCENT RING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease cookie sheet.
• Reserve 5 cherries and chop remaining.
• In small bowl, combine chopped cherries, cream cheese, almonds, sugar and almond extract; mix well. Set aside.
• Separate each can crescent dough into 2 large rectangles. Overlap long sides of 4 rectangles and firmly press edges and perforations to seal.
• Roll or pat out to form a rectangle about 15X13 inches.
• Spread cherry mixture over dough.
• Starting at longer side, roll up, pressing edges to seal.
• On greased cookie sheet, place seam side down. Form into a ring, firmly pressing ends together.
• With a sharp knife, cut almost through ring at 1-inch intervals. Turn each section slightly on its side.
• Bake at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. If necessary, cover with foil during last 5 minute to prevent excessive browning.
• In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients; mix well.\.
• Drizzle warm coffeecake with glaze. Garnish with sliced amonds and reserved cherries.
• Store in refrigerator.

CHRISTMAS CRESCENT RING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Unroll crescent dough; separate along dough perforations into 16 triangles.
• Overlap 8 dough triangles on prepared baking sheet, forming a 10-inch-diameter dough disk that looks like the sun with a hole in the middle.
• Press edges together to seal the dough "disk".
• Using a rolling pin, roll out almond paste between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 9-inch diameter disk.
• Place almond disk atop dough disk.
• Spread jam over almond paste.
• Using remaining 8 dough triangles, arrange second 10-inch diameter dough disk atop jam.
• Pinch edges of dough disks to seal; tuck edges under.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
• While ring is baking, make glaze by stirring powdered sugar, water, and almond extract together in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Drizzle half of glaze over warm crescent.
• Let glaze set for 10 minutes and then drizzle remaining glaze over.
• Decorate with sugar-dipped cherries and small pears, if desired.

VERY CHERRY CRESCENT RING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Reserve 3 tablespoons cherries for topping. For filling, beat cream cheese, sugar and extract until smooth. Stir in 3/4 cup pecans and remaining cherries., On a lightly floured surface, unroll crescent dough into one long rectangle; press perforations to seal. Fold dough lengthwise in half; roll into an 18x12-in. rectangle. Spread filling over top to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal., Transfer to a greased baking sheet, seam side down; shape into a ring, pinching ends to seal. Using kitchen scissors, start at outside edge and cut two-thirds of the way through the ring at 1-in. intervals. Separate sections slightly and twist to show filling., Bake until golden brown, 20-30 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if it browns too quickly.) , Using two large spatulas, remove from pan to a wire rack. Mix confectioners' sugar, milk and extract; spoon over warm coffeecake. Top with reserved cherries and, if desired, additional pecans.

ALMOND CREAM-PUFF RING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour a cookie sheet, or use parchment paper. Using a dinner plate as a guide, trace a circle on the sheet.
• In 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil. With a wooden spoon, vigorously stir in flour all at once, until mixture forms a ball, and leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from heat, and beat in the eggs one at a time, until mixture is smooth. Drop batter into 10 mounds inside the circle traced on the cookie sheet, to form a ring.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn off oven, leaving ring in for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on wire rack. When cool, slice in half horizontally, and place bottom ring on serving plate. Spoon Almond Cream Filling on bottom ring, then replace top ring. Chill in refrigerator.
• To make Almond Cream Filling: Prepare pudding according to instructions on package, but use only 1 1/4 cups milk. Fold in whipped cream, and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
• To make Chocolate Glaze: In a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, combine chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons milk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons corn syrup. Heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Spoon over the top of chilled ring.