Danish Puff Pastries

When I was younger, my mom would make these Danish Puff Pastries as a special treat.  We would see her making them at night around bedtime, smell them baking as we went to bed, and we knew we would get to enjoy them for breakfast the next morning.  The ingredients are pretty simple, and not exactly healthy, but these are delicious!  This is probably my favorite family recipe, from my Grandma Winter.

Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 Tbsp. cold water

Mix flour and butter until mixture resembles corn meal.  Add water and mix together well to form paste.  Spread on bottom of 13x9 pan.

Filling:

• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 3 eggs

Bring water to a boil.  Add butter and return to boil; remove from heat.  Add flour and almond extract and stir to combine.  Mix in eggs, one at a time.  Spread over crust.

Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until brown on top and knife inserted comes out clean.

Frosting:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
• 4 Tbsp. milk or cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients to combine.  Pour over hot pastry.  Nuts can also be added as topping.

Every time I smell almond extract, I'm reminded of eating these pastries.  Bake some up, and you'll see what I mean...