Finnish Crescents Recipes

VANILLA CRESCENTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, hazelnut flour and salt. Beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds using the back of a thin knife and add to the butter with the egg yolk. Beat until combined. Gradually mix in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Roll the batter into a 12-inch log, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the log into 18 pieces and roll each piece into a crescent shape. Put the crescents on the lined baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake until the cookies are set and the bottoms and edges are browned, about 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar while warm, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

THREE-CHEESE CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Make the Basic Dinner-Roll Dough, using the Parmesan as the mix-in. Let rise as directed.
• Lightly coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll or stretch each half into a 12-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick. Brush each round with some of the beaten egg and sprinkle with the Havarti and Cheddar, leaving a 1-inch border. Lightly press on the cheese to ensure it sticks.
• Cut each round into 12 wedges with a pizza cutter or chef's knife. Starting from the wide ends, roll up each wedge. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheets, bending the ends slightly to create a crescent. Loosely cover with plastic wrap; let stand until puffy, about 45 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees F. Combine the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and salt in a small bowl. Brush the crescents with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with the seed mixture. Bake, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the rolls are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Warm the milk and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan or in the microwave until very warm (110 degrees F). Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix in the sugar, yeast and 1 cup flour until combined but still lumpy. Let stand until the mixture is very bubbly, about 30 minutes.
• Add the butter, salt and 2 cups flour; mix on medium speed until smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs until combined, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl as needed. Add 1 1/4 cups flour and the mix-ins, if using; mix until the dough is smooth and starts to gather into a loose ball, about 4 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky; if it's too wet, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour.
• Lightly oil a large bowl; scrape the dough into the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

VIENNESE CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Cream the butter and add the sugar and vanilla and beat to fluffy. Add the flour and nuts and mix in. Chill the dough for at least one hour. The more it's chilled the less it spreads during baking.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Shape the dough into tiny crescents using 1 teaspoon of dough for each cookie. Place them on an ungreased sheet pan in rows, leaving 1 inch in between for spreading and bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Let cool 5 minutes. Dredge them in confectioners' sugar.

CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream sugar and butter. Add flour, vanilla and nut meats. Roll a small piece between your hands and form into small crescents. (2 1/2 inches) Bake 20 to 25 minutes. When cool, roll in powdered sugar. These are better the second day.

VANILLA CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, almonds and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough into four portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 24-in. rope. Cut crosswise into twelve 2-in. logs; shape each into a crescent. Place 1-1/2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool on pans 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Dust warm cookies with confectioners' sugar.

SPANAKOPITA CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Dice Onion into small pieces.
• Place Onion and Chicken Stock in a saute pan and cook on medium until Onions become translucent.
• Add Dill and Spinach, continue to cook until all liquid is evaporated.
• Remove Spinach and Onion mixture from heat and allow to cool.
• Once cooled, stir in Feta Cheese into filling mixture.
• Open packages of Crescent Rolls and unroll onto cutting board.
• Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut each Crescent into 2
• Place 1 tsp of the filling at the widest end of the Crescent and roll up dough "jelly roll style" around filling.
• Place Cresents 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 425 for 12 - 14 minutes until golden brown.
• *filling may be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.
• ** Cresents may be baked earlier in the day and then reheated before serving.