Giant Cinnamon Cheese Danish

I could never win the Pillsbury Bake Off.

First of all, I’m just not that great at coming up with my own recipes. Sure, I can throw dinners together without a cookbook all week long. But, baking is different…you need a certain amount of flour….a certain amount of sugar…some baking soda…it gets a bit intimidating.

Let’s just say though, that I figured out a really awesome dessert recipe using Pillsbury’s finest products. And let’s say that I was invited to Florida to compete in the Pillsbury Bake Off. 

Hmmm…..lots of people…..lots of cameras….lots of pressure…..

Nope. Couldn’t do it. Could you imagine sweating your butt off, baking furiously for the chance to win a million bucks…and you turn around to see a big camera all up in your grill? Oh…..I’d probably faint. Or at least need to take a moment and sit down.

Let’s just say though, that not only did I figure out a really super awesome Pillsbury dessert, but I also made it through the Bake Off without needing to sit down or faint. And let’s say that I was one of the finalists. Which means I would have to go on Oprah today, where the winner will be announced live.

Lots of lights…lots of cameras…lots of people…lots of pressure….meeting Oprah…and being on television. And this, my friends, is where I would totally crack. There I would be, on the plane headed for Chicago….imagining myself on television with Oprah…and I would lose it. And NOT in a good way. In a frantic, “what am I doing, I’m gonna make a fool of myself, this is madness and I can’t take it anymore” way. At which point the air marshalls would probably take me into custody, the plane would have to make an emergency landing, and instead of being on Oprah, I’d be on the news as a possible terrorist.

Yes, this would happen…this would totally happen.

So instead of putting myself and my family through such shame and humiliation, I choose to reap the rewards of past Bake Off contestants from the comfort and privacy of my own home. I got my recipe for today from Best Of The Pillsbury Bake-Off Desserts, and this book is really awesome. It has super easy desserts and beautiful pictures. I have several other pages in it marked to try in the future. And by several, I mean like fifteen. 

INGREDIENTS

1 can (17.5 oz) large refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray. Separate dough into 5 rolls; set icing aside. Unroll 1 roll into long strip of dough; reroll loosely and place in center of pie plate.

Unroll second roll; loosely wrap around first roll, cinnamon side in, replacing any cinnamon that falls off. Repeat with remaining rolls, coiling dough in pie plate into spiral shape.

In small bowl, beat all remaining ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture into decorating bag with tip or gallon-size resealable food-storage plastic bag with 1/2 inch hole cut in bottom corner. With tip or corner of bag about halfway down into rolls, pipe mixture between strips of dough, starting at center and working to edge of pie plate, using all of mixture.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until center is thoroughly baked and edges are deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Meanwhile, remove cover from icing; microwave on Medium for 10 to 15 seconds or until drizzling consistency. 

Drizzle icing over warm coffee cake. Cut into wedges; serve warm.

We can thank Betty Nicoson from Terre Haute, IN for this yummy coffee cake. She entered it in the Pillsbury Bake Off in 2004, and it is really, really yummy. I will definitely be making this again!!

Happy Wednesday!!!