FREEZER DANISH PASTRY
Source: McCall's Cookery
Makes enough dough for about 18

FOR THE BUTTER MIXTURE:
1 1/2 cups sweet butter, softened
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, divided use
FOR THE MILK MIXTURE:
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
FOR THE DOUGH:
1/2 cup very warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
2 packages active dry yeast
1 egg

TO PREPARE BUTTER MIXTURE:
In bowl, with wooden spoon, beat butter and 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Spread on waxed paper (on wet surface) to 12-by-8-inch rectangle. Refrigerate on cookie sheet.

TO PREPARE MILK MIXTURE:
Heat milk slightly. Add sugar and salt; stir to dissolve. Cool to lukewarm.

TO PREPARE DOUGH:
Check temperature of water with thermometer. Pour into large bowl; sprinkle with yeast; stir to dissolve.

Stir in milk mixture, egg, and 3 cups flour; beat with wooden spoon until smooth. Mix in remaining 3/4 cup flour with hand until dough leaves side of bowl. Refrigerate, covered, 1/2 hour.

Turn out onto lightly floured pastry cloth; with covered rolling pin, roll into 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Place chilled butter mixture on half of dough; remove paper. Fold other half of dough over butter; pinch the edges to seal.

With fold at right. Roll out from center to a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. From short side, fold dough into thirds, making three layers; seal edges; chill, wrapped in foil, 1 hour. Repeat rolling and folding (if butter breads through, brush with flour), seal edges; chill 1/2 hour.

Roll; fold again; seal edges; chill, wrapped in foil, 3 hours or overnight. Keep dough refrigerated until ready to roll and shape.

Shape (following instructions below) and freeze.

Bake as directed below. (Unbaked Danish pastry may be store in freezer at 0 degrees F. for several months, if desired.)

Note: To serve Danish pastry for breakfast, remove frozen pastry from freezer and place on brown paper; keep in refrigerator overnight. Bake next morning as directed.

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CHERRY PINWHEELS
Makes 6

1/3 recipe Danish Pastry Dough, above
Cherry or apricot preserves
Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)

Pinch off a small piece of dough and reserve for centers.

On lightly floured pastry cloth or floured board, roll rest of dough into a rectangle, 12-by-8-inches. With sharp knife, cut into six 4-inch squares. Arrange squares, 1 1/2 inches apart, on tray or in shallow box. In each corner of each square, make a cut, at 45-degree angle, 1 1/2 inches long.

In center of each square, place 1 Tablespoon preserves.

TO MAKES PINWHEELS:
Bring every other point of dough to center of square then press in center to fasten.

Roll out the small piece of reserved dough1/8-inch thick. Using a 1 1/4 –inch round cutter, cut 6 rounds. Moisten bottom of rounds slightly with water; place in center of each pinwheel, to cover points. Wrap tray with foil, seal, label and freeze.

TO BAKE:
Line a cookie sheet with brown paper. Arrange pinwheels, 2-inches apart, on ungreased brown paper.

Let rise in warm place (85 degrees F.), free from drafts, until double in bulk - 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make Sugar Glaze

Bake 15 minutes, or until golden-brown. Let cool slightly on wire rack.

Drizzle glaze over rolls.

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SUGAR GLAZE

1/2 cup unsifted confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon milk

In small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk; mix well. Drizzle over warm rolls to glaze thinly.

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CINNAMON BEAR CLAWS
Makes 6

1/3 recipe Danish Pastry Dough, above
4 Tablespoons sweet butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts of pecans
1/4 cup chopped raisings
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Sugar Glaze (recipe above)

On lightly floured pastry cloth or floured board, roll dough to an 18-by-9-inch rectangle. Brush with half of butter; then sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar mixture, leaving a 1/4-inch edge all around.

Combine walnuts, raisins and zest. Sprinkle evenly over sugared surface.

From longer side, fold one third of dough over. Then bring opposite side over this, to make a three-layer strip 18 by 3 inches. Pinch together, to seal.

With sharp knife, cut strip cross-wise into six sections. On folded side of each, make three 1-inch cuts, evenly spaced.

Arrange on tray. Separate 'claws' slightly. Brush tops with rest of butter. Wrap tray with foil; seal, label and freeze.

TO BAKE:
Line a cookie sheet with brown paper. Arrange claws, 2 inches apart, on ungreased brown paper. Let rise in warm place (85 degrees F.), free from drafts, until double in bulk - 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Also, make Sugar Glaze.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden-brown. Let cool slightly on wire rack. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.