Lemon Cheesecake Crescent Rolls

Bursting with delicious lemony flavor!

I decided to check out Pinterest today, looking for a sweet baby afghan pattern for my granddaughter's first baby. Unfortunately, I didn't find the afghan pattern, but I did find a recipe for what looks like a delicious breakfast/brunch recipe! It stopped me in my tracks and I knew I had to share it with you all.

It took me to a website called "Lemon Tree Dwelling" and I'm probably going to check out more of her recipes because they looked wonderful!

Okay now, back to the crescent rolls. They're filled with a lemon flavored cheesecake and topped with a sweet lemon glaze...they have to be good, right?

I just had a thought! I might add a scant teaspoon of raspberry jam on top of the cheese cake filling before I roll them up, or maybe that delicious blueberry filling I made last week. Doesn't that sound good too? 

Ingredients:

1 pkg. crescent rolls

4 oz. cream cheese, cold

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Zest from 1/2 fresh lemon

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Zest from 1/2 fresh lemon

Instructions:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon extract and lemon zest.

Beat on medium-high speed until mixture comes together.

Unroll crescent roll dough into triangles; spoon cream cheese filling onto wider end of each triangle.

Gently roll the dough, starting at the wide end and tucking the corners, into crescent shapes.

Place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375'F. for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

Let rolls cool on a wire rack.

Once cool, prepare glaze by combining all ingredients until smooth.

Drizzle glaze evenly over rolls.

Be encouraged!

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. -Hebrews 11:1

Lemon Scones

Amazing!

If you're a lemon lover like me, you'll want to try these wonderful Lemon Scones.  Not only are they totally delicious, but they melt in your mouth!    The scones' density is perfect -- not too dense, not too airy -- and they were perfectly moist! 

You can use a food processor or by hand (which is what I did).  Just make sure your butter is cold and work as quickly as you can.  Be careful not to over-mix.  All those little pea-size clumps of butter create structure in the scones and give them a tender, fluffy consistency when baked.  The tartness of the glaze is perfect with the light and slightly sweet taste of the scone.  This recipe is a keeper!

Once you make scones, I promise you'll want to include them in your menu regularly, they're so easy to make!  I included a few tips that I like to use.  



Ingredients:                                                

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes 

*2/3 cup buttermilk, add slowly until just wet enough to stick                          

1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Icing Ingredients:

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

*Yellow food coloring (opt.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a baking sheet pan.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Using a fork, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.   Add buttermilk and lemon peel, stirring just until mixed.  Over-mixing will cause a tough scone, so be careful here.

                                                             

Turn onto a floured surface; knead gently six times.  Shape into a ball and place on prepared baking sheet.

On greased baking sheet, *using your hands, pat dough into a circle about 1/2 in thick and 8-1/2 in. in diameter.  Cut the dough in half then cut the pieces into half again, giving you 4 squares. Cut the squares in half on a diagonal to give you a triangle shape.  Makes 8.

Place 2" apart onto baking sheet

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until tops are lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Prepare the icing by mixing the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a drizzling consistency.  *Add a drop of yellow food color if desired.

Tips from Grammy:
1.) Scones are best when served fresh out of the oven or on the same day.  For next day eating, reheat them in the microwave for just 8-10 seconds. 

2.) If you don't have buttermilk, just place 1 Tbsp. of vinegar into a measuring cup and add milk (or cream) to 1 cup...stir and use in place of buttermilk.

3.) Don't use a rolling pin, you want scones to be light and fluffy.


Be encouraged!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.”
-Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

Glazed Lemon Blueberry Scones

Perfect for breakfast or brunch, with coffee...or just a sweet treat!

This morning, I attempted to make scones for the first time!   See, you can teach an "old dog, new tricks!"   It does sound rather odd to think, at my age, there's a first for anything.  And now, I have a new obsession in the kitchen.  I'm already planning pumpkin scones for Thanksgiving and Cranberry Orange Scones for Christmas.

Fresh scones are so much better than store bought ones!   They're so fresh, moist and tender...well, there's just no comparison.   I know I use the word "easy" to describe many of my recipes on here, but these are so EASY and taste FANTASTIC!  

I highly encourage you to try making these, but, I do have a one-word warning attached, "Addictive."   A little piece fell off one, so I felt it was my duty to dry "just one bite" and ended up eating the whole thing.  Don't judge...I just couldn't help myself!



Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) cold butter (cut into small pieces)
1 c. fresh blueberries
zest of 1 lemon, grated fine 
1 c. heavy cream (plus more for the top of scones)
Dash of vanilla (about 1/2 tsp.)

Heat oven to 400'F. 

First, sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Using 2 forks or your fingers, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. (I did this by hand).  The mixture should end up looking like coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream & lemon zest.  Fold everything together until just mixed; do not over work the dough or the scones will be tough.  Gently, fold the blueberries into the dough, taking care not to mash them.

Press the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a rectangle. (Don't use a rolling pin, it will smash the berries.)  Cut the rectangle in half then cut the pieces into half again, giving you 4 squares. Cut the squares in half on a diagonal to give you a triangle shape.  Makes 8.

Mix together a small amount of heavy cream and a dash of vanilla.  Brush the tops of the scones and sprinkle with a little sugar.

Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 400'F until golden brown and the blueberries have burst, about 15-20 minutes.  Let cool a bit before you apply the glaze.


Lemon Glaze:

1 cup Confectioner's sugar
3-5 Tbsp. lemon juice (add 1 Tbsp. at a time)

Mix the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice (1 Tbsp. at a time) until the desired consistency.  Whisk the glaze until all lumps are out, and drizzle over cooled scones.

You'll never buy scones again!


"The greatest blessing in the whole world is being a blessing!"  Jack Hyles