Recipe: Sweet Italian Crescents (yeast dough, using preserves for filling)

SWEET ITALIAN CRESCENTS

"Sweeter and more tender than flaky croissants, this Italian specialty has a brioche-like texture and a jam filling."

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 1/2 to 6 cups flour, divided use
3 eggs
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 teaspoons water
Coarsely crushed sugar cubes

Sprinkle yeast over water in large bowl of electric mixer. Let stand until soft (about 5 minutes).

Add milk, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and butter; stir until butter melts.

Add 3 cups of the flour. Mix to blend, then beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Beat in 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks (reserve 2 egg whites for glaze).

Gradually stir in 2 to 2 1/2 cups more flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a board or pastry cloth coated with some of the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup flour. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny and small bubbles form just under surface (about 15 minutes), adding just enough additional flour to prevent dough from sticking.

Turn dough into a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch dough down, divide it into 2 equal portions, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Roll each portion of dough out on a floured surface to an 18-inch-diameter circle. Cut each round into 12 equal triangles. Working with one triangle at a time, place about 1 teaspoon preserves along base (wide end).* Stretch points of triangle slightly*; then, starting from the base, roll filled portion toward opposite point. Place on greased baking sheet with point on underside, curving ends inward to make crescent shape. Repeat with remaining triangles.

Cover lightly and let rolls rise until puffy-looking (25 to 30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat reserved 2 egg whites with the 2 teaspoons water. Brush egg-white mixture lightly over rolls. Sprinkle with crushed sugar cubes. Bake until well browned (15 to 20 minutes).

*A scant teaspoon of filling is sufficient for crescent rolls; more may bubble out during cooking.

**For well-shaped crescents, gently stretch the points of the dough triangles before rolling them. First stretch out the two points at the base; secure these points with one hand while you use the other hand to stretch the center point. After rolling the dough, gently pull the two points of the base down and toward one another, like crab claws; tuck the center point beneath the roll.

Makes 24 rolls
Source: Annette Gooch, The Bergen Record, July 28, 1999