Oh, Campbell’s Test Kitchen! How I love you. You’ve created so many epic mid-century dishes, like Black Magic Devil’s Food Cake and Mmm Good Fruit Cake.
And now, you’ve done it again.
Behold! Cheese Filled Pastries!
Secret Ingredient: Cheddar Cheese Condensed Soup
Oh yes.
- 2 pkgs (14-16 oz each) hot roll mix
- 1 can Campbell’s Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 jar or can (24 oz) prepared apple pie filling
- 1 jar or can (24 oz) prepared cherry pie filling
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
- 1/4 tsp mace
- In large bowl, dissolve yeast as directed on roll mixes, using one half the total amount of water. Prepare mixes as directed on package, substituting can of soup for remaining water, adding sugar and almond extract. Let rise until doubled.
- Shape into 16 four inch circles; place on 2 lightly greased large cookie sheets. Let rise until doubled.
- Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients. Make slight indentation in each circle; spoon about 1/4 cup of fruit mixture on each indentation.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 16 pastries. Baked pastries may be frozen.
There is actually a funny story behind this one. I mean, more funny than the fact that I dumped a can of cheese soup into a bowl with hot roll mix.
When planning for Mid-Century Menu, Tom and I usually make recipes about two weeks out. This allows for photographing, editing, writing, rewriting and all that jazz. So, at any given point in time there are at least four vintage recipes floating around our kitchen in various stages of completion.
I had cleaned out my file with my recipe cards and organized it the week before, and in so doing had run across this gem of a recipe (along with several others that I am sure you will see soon) and had thrown it into the “To Make Right Away” pile. (As opposed to the “This Looks Gross Enough Pile” the “This Might Be A Stretch But Might Still Be Good” pile and the “Give to Erica To Make For Sundays” pile.)
The VERY NEXT DAY I received an email from reader Bob (AKA Veg-o-Matic) that stated I had been taking it too easy on Tom lately, and that I MUST make the attached recipe. And the recipe he had attached was the SAME recipe for Cheese Pastries that I had just found!
Great minds, huh?
The good thing about the recipe I had vs. the one from Veg was that mine made larger rolls, so it took less time.
And also: No glaze. For some reason, the idea of glaze on these is just bizarre.
Not that they aren’t bizarre enough on their own!
“These aren’t bad.”
“You have GOT to be kidding me!”
The Verdict: Good
From The Tasting Notes:
The second recipe of 2014 throws us for another loop! There is no reason for these to be edible in the least, and yet they are. Even though these are sweet, they don’t taste like a sweet roll. They have a slightly savory undertone in the pastry from the cheese soup and the spiciness of the mace in the pie filling keeps it from being cloyingly sweet and gives it a good depth of flavor. In fact, if I ever have to use pie filling from a can in the future, I am adding mace to it. The first day these were quite good, and we ate them with our dinner, but the second day the taste of the condensed soup came out a little too much for us to really enjoy them. They went from good to just edible. So, if you have the urge to make these for some reason, make sure you eat them right away to prevent the taste of soup from taking over.
I. Give. Up.
My mother always put a slice of sharp Cheddar on her apple pie so I can see the basis for the experiment.
That’s a common thing in northern New England. I wouldn’t normally want to eat my apple pie that way, but once it a while it can be nice.
Wowza.
I think maybe you and Tom have eaten so many mid-century recipes that you developed mid-century palates…
This makes me think of a cheese danish mixed with a cherry danish (even more so in the picture of the glazed version).
In the 3rd picture, Tom seems to be pondering significant world issues. Mid-Century recipes FTW!
I have a cookie recipe that uses grated cheddar in the dough and has aprocot jam in it. You make them like kolaches. No dtretch to this combo
I have been looking for this recipe for a few years. I remember making it and how delicious it was. However, I thought it used Campbell’s tomato soup. I even called the Campbell corporate office to help me locate this recipe. They couldn’t help me. When I saw the newspaper article i remember it so clearly. Thank you for the memories. Make this recipe.