Good morning!  Hope you have a beautiful day!

Today’s tip: to keep brown sugar from hardening, keep it in the original packaging, but seal inside a gallon size zipper bag and then seal that inside a large plastic canister.

My mom makes this lovely, flaky-tender pastry every Christmas and has for as long as I can remember, but hers is almond-flavored.  My version adds a fruity topping and changes out the almond flavoring for vanilla.  This pastry is fantastic for weekend brunch and fancy enough for holidays and special occasions.  I know your family will love it as much as mine does!

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons lukewarm water

Puff:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

½ cup cherry preserves (or any flavor you have in the house)

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon half and half or whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Measure one cup of flour into a medium mixing bowl.  Cut in butter using a fork or a pastry blender.  Sprinkle in two tablespoons of water and mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Divide dough evenly. Pat dough into two long strips about 1/3 inch thick on an ungreased baking sheet, about 14 inches long and 3 inches wide. Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.  Remove from heat and add one teaspoon vanilla extract.  Stir in one cup of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.  Stir in eggs one at a time until well blended.  Divide evenly and spread evenly over each crust on baking sheet.

Bake for approximately one hour, checking every five minutes after 45 minutes.  Remove from oven when pastry is a golden brown color.

When pastry is cool, warm preserves in microwave, stirring at thirty second intervals until thin and drizzle over the top of the cooled pastries.  Mix confectioner’s sugar, one teaspoon vanilla extract and half and half or cream in a small bowl and stir until smooth.  Add more cream, if necessary, to make a thin glaze.  Drizzle over the pastries and serve with a big glass of cold milk.

Makes eight servings.