EASY FRUIT PASTRIES

SERVES 6-8

This recipe was created in desperation. I was planning a formal dinner for a family occasion. Unfortunately, I got the flu several days before. I had everything on hand for the dinner but nothing for the dessert I had planned and I was just too ill to go to the store. The morning of the dinner, I started searching through the pantry for anything I could use. I found a can of crescent rolls and a package of cream cheese in the refrigerator that I had been saving to make some hors d'ouevres for another time. I thought about the possibilities and, upon further searching, discovered a can of mandarin oranges and fruit cocktail. This is what evolved. It is very good. See the notes below for variations.

INGREDIENTS

1 can (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 can (15 ounces) fruit cocktail in lite syrup

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments in light syrup

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3 to 4 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup reserved fruit juice

1/4 cup fruit preserves, preferably light-colored

Whipped cream or topping for garnish

Preheat oven to 375° F. Place the cresent rolls onto a baking sheet and press down arund the indentations so that it all stays in one sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, sprinkle with a little granulated sugar. Cool.

Meanwhile, drain the canned fruits and reserve about 1/4 cup of the juice. Whip together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and fruit juice. Spread on top of the baked crescents. Arrange the drained fruit over all. Melt the preserves in a small pan. Using a brush, glaze the top of the fruit and the edges of the pastry to make it shiny. Refrigerate until use (can be prepared several hours ahead). To serve, cut into individual servings; place a dollup of whipped cream on each.

Notes: Obviously, there are other choices for the ingredients. I would normally have some fresh fruits on hand and would use those. Other canned fruits could be added or substituted. The pastry could be made from refrigerated sugar cookie dough or frozen phyllo or puff pastry dough.

Use your browser's BACK button to return to previous page
or go to the RECIPE INDEX.