Day 30: National Croissant Day

Happy Monday and National Croissant Day!  It is sunny and beautiful and the perfect day for the dessert I want to share with you today.  You may say croissants are a side bread to go with your steak or chicken, but I am sure that I will convince you otherwise!!

You know those yummy sopapillas that are served at Mexican restuarants?  Not the crunchy, fried tortillas topped with ice cream, honey and chocolate.  They might call them that but that is so wrong!  They are the fried, fluffy pillows of dough heaven that are puffed up and hollow in the middle - the perfect spot to pour a little honey and savor every bite!! So is your mouth watering yet?

I came across this recipe on the internet several years ago and it is so simple yet so delicious. I have served this as a breakfast or a dessert - Sopapilla Cheesecake.  It is a buttery, cinnamon danish type dish with a cheesecake center.  I prefer to eat mine warm, but it can be served cool as well. I actually made these last night for today, and it took all the will power I had to not dig in and eat it last night.  The wait was well worth it!!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Yield:  18 bars (221 calories each)

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz.) package light cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 (8 oz) packages refrigerated crescent rolls, reduced fat
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1 cup sugar and vanilla extract until smooth; set aside.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough.  Place one full sheet of dough on bottom of prepared dish, pressing the seams together.  Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture onto the dough, and then cover with the remaining sheet of dough, pressing seams together.
4. Pour melted butter over top croissant.  Stir together the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over the top of the dough.
5. Bake in oven about 30 minutes or until crescent dough puffs and turns golden brown.  Allow to set for 15 minutes before serving.

Note:  When pouring the butter over the top, you will think that it is too much because it just pools on top of the dough.  When it cooks, it will soak into the dough and leave a crust of cinnamon sugary goodness on top.  Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!!