RECIPES

Low-carb, Gluten- and Grain-free Cheese Danish

These delicious pastries are surprisingly like the real yeast-dough pastry, and much closer than most of those commercial products that borrow the name. Plus, they are much faster and easier to make. Aside from what they do not contain, each pastry gives you more an an eighth of the recommended daily amount of calcium.

 

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces ground blanched almonds or almond meal -- approximately 1 cup
  • 3 tablespoons ThickenThin not/Cereal thickener
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 2 tablespoons water (optional)

     

  • Topping
  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Sweetener equivalent to 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ThickenThin not/Sugar thickener
  • pinch cinnamon or allspice (optional)

     

Directions

Makes twelve pastries.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or cover it with parchment.

1. Combine the topping ingredients and reserve. Cream cheeses vary in texture so you may need to add extra cream (or other liquid) so that it is spreadable.

2. Prepare batter by first combining the dry ingredients, then separately the wet ingredients. Stir them together until completely moistened. Some brands of ricotta are thicker than others so it may be necessary to add a small amount of water to make a smooth batter.

3. Spread circles of batter in prepared pan. Press center down lightly and cover with topping.

4. Bake for 20-35 minutes until lightly browned. Loosen from pan while still warm to prevent sticking.

Serve warm or cold.

Option: instead of the topping, use bits of plain cream cheese.

Note: Although these danish keep better without refrigeration than most sugar-free baked goods, it's best to store them in the refrigerator. They also freeze beautifully.

Nutrition

Nutrition* (per pastry, as calculated by Mastercook): 140 calories; 11g fat (of which 3.5g is saturated); 4g carb (of which 2g is fiber); 7g protein.

*based on no-calorie sweetener

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