REGAL CHERRY-FILLED ESTHERTASCHEN

makes one 11” pastry
 
For the pastry-
 
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup cream cheese, room temperature (do not use whipped cream cheese)
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dark cocoa
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
3 tablespoons puréed beets (I used a 2 oz. roasted beet but you can certainly use jarred or canned beets, or the prepared ones available in the produce section at Trader Joes.)
 
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Gradually add the sugar and orange zest, mixing on low. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cocoa and poppy seeds. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/cream cheese mixture, alternating with the beets. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, making sure the beets are well incorporated. Lightly dust a sheet of plastic wrap with flour, turn the pastry out on to the plastic wrap, lightly dust it with flour and shape into a disc. Wrap well in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour before rolling out. Lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Retrieve the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Place the dough on the parchment paper and roll it into a 14” round circle, ⅛” thick. The dough is sticky so add a bit of flour as you go, but use a pastry brush to remove any excess. Cover the circle of dough with a sheet of plastic wrap and slide the parchment with the dough to a baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare the filling.
 
Cherry filling-
 
3½ cups frozen sweet cherries, (I use the 16 oz. bag from Trader Joes)
½ cup sugar
1½ tablespoons cornstarch (4½ teaspoons)
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
¼ teaspoon almond extract
 
egg wash made from 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water, milk or cream
 
Place the frozen cherries in a strainer set over a bowl and let them thaw for about 15-20 minutes. Discard any excess ice/water from the cherries. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and orange zest. Place the cherries in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the sugar/cornstarch mixture and the orange juice. Cook over medium heat until the cherries begin to thicken. Don’t overcook them; you want them to retain some of their plumpness. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract. Scrape the filling into a bowl and refrigerate until chilled. (If you’re in a hurry, you can set the bowl of filling over a bowl of ice and stir it occasionally until it cools.)
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Retrieve the baking sheet with the pastry circle from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Spread the chilled cherry filling in the center of the dough, leaving a 3” border. Dust your fingertips with flour and encase the filling in the dough, bringing two  sides of the dough together, overlapping them slightly so they create the top of the triangle, then bring the bottom portion of dough up to partially cover the filling. Use your hands  and the edge of a ruler (careful not to tear the dough) to give the triangle some definition.  Seal the edges and brush with egg wash.  Place the baking sheet with the pastry back in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before baking. (Chilling the dough before baking helps the pastry hold its shape in the oven.) Bake the Esthertaschen on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. The pastry will be deeply golden and the filling should bubble slightly. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.