BISQUICK PASTRIES

It doesn't get any easier than Bisquick! Bisquick came on the market in 1931 and was primarily a mix for making biscuits or pancakes. As the popularity of this product grew, so did the recipes using it. The first time I had a Bisquick Braid was in about 1988 and it was brought to a potluck I attended. I couldn't believe it was a bisquick recipe! The lady who brought the dish graciously gave me the recipe. The Bisquick Danish were also tasted for the first time at a potluck, and of course I asked for the recipe. These pastries are not as good as a yeast dough pastry, but they are good and they are FAST!

BISQUICK BRAID

2 cups Bisquick
¼ cup sugar
3 ozs cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup milk
7 oz. jar of raspberry (or other fruit) preserves or jam
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In medium bowl, mix the bisquick, sugar, cream cheese and butter. Stir in the milk to form a stiff dough. On a pastry sheet dusted with a little flour, roll dough out to a 15 x 10 rectangle, transfer to a lightly greased or sprayed cookie sheet. Spread preserves or jam down the lengthwise center of the dough. With a knife, cut 1 inch wide tabs along both long sides, cutting almost to the preserves and cutting the same number of tabs on both long sides. Starting at one end, fold one tab over the preserves and at a slight downwards angle, fold the tab directly opposite over and down, slightly overlapping the first tab. Continue folding the tabs until all are folded over the preserves. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Drizzle with glaze (see recipe and instructions for glaze for the Bisquick Danish)

BISQUICK DANISH

2 cups Bisquick
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup raspberry (or any flavor) preserves
Glaze (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix the bisquick and sugar; using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until crumbly in texture. Pour in the milk and stir until JUST mixed. Use a ¼ cup measure and drop 12 mounds onto a slightly greased, or sprayed, cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each mound. Pour a little oil into a small container and dip your finger in the oil and then press a “finger size” well in the center of each mound. Fill each well with 1 teaspoon preserves. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and drizzle with glaze while still warm. Makes 12 danish.
Glaze:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix until smooth, spoon into a small plastic bag (sandwich or snack size), with scissors snip off a very small section of the corner of the bag and squeeze glaze into a zigzag pattern over the top of each danish. Serve warm or room temperature.
TIP: To make filling the plastic bag MUCH easier, fit the plastic bag into a glass mug or cup, folding the bag opening over the rim of the mug. Now you can set the mug on the counter and spoon the glaze into the bag with much ease. Pull the filled bag out of the mug and proceed!