Nutella Cheesecake Crescent Ring Recipe: For Coffee Station Grand Opening Day

We used to have an EXTREMELY sad break area by my office suite at work.  It is the lobby of the museum's freight elevator, has industrial grey floor and white walls with strangely-dim recessed lighting, and was home to a table and a few relatively uncomfortable chairs.  The one good thing was that we had a water filter/dispenser that would provide good, clean water in both the cold and hot varieties.  Perfect for a nice cuppa tea or for refreshing hydration.  It is notable that I work on the 2nd floor and this is the only work floor in the building that didn't have a full-on "Coffee Station."  That's right: B, A, 1, and 4 all have coffee stations, but 2 didn't. (I know what you are thinking: but what about the poor people on level 3?  Well, 3 doesn't have one because it isn't a real office floor. That is the floor the museum exhibits are on and only a couple of people have their offices there.)  

For a while now the powers that control the facilities aspects of the building have been saying that they might upgrade this space.  Ok, I'm gonna be honest with you: For literally *years* they have been going back and forth about this.  Late last year they finally committed to it and they removed our water cooler/heater to prep for it...even though the water cooler/heater was on the other side of the area from the construction...and then they did nothing for several months.  It was amazing when they started working on it for real, though not surprising that it took several extra weeks to get the water-bottle filler (the replacement for the water cooler), coffee-maker, and mug-washer to work.  

What's a mug washer, you ask?  That is a great question and thank you for asking!  Since the coffee station has a sink with hot water and a dish-soap dispenser, it might seem like a completely useless piece of equipment that just takes up valuable countertop real estate and is a waste of money. I wouldn't really disagree with any of that.  *But*, since we are only the second area to get one (the first being the 4th floor were all the high muckety-mucks work), I'm pretty OK with it.  Also, it is basically a car wash for mugs, and since I like to go through car washes--usually with my music blaring--I don't begrudge my mug the same experience.   

Since the coffee station is now fully operational, I thought we needed to celebrate it.  (And yes, the phrase "fully operational" in reference to any kind of station should make you think of the Emperor saying, "Now witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battle station!"  What can I say? Star Wars nerd over here.)  I unilaterally decided Monday, April 2nd would be the Grand Opening of the station.  On Sunday I was alone for Easter and so I had plenty of time to make a batch of cookies and a Nutella-cheesecake crescent ring.  Then I gathered up the snack food that didn't get consumed at work on Saturday, the giant container of cocoa I bought for D&D brunch, and some half-and-half.  And it made the morning much better for a number of people!

The danish/crescent ring was REALLY GOOD!  Also very sweet, but it is called Nutella-Cheesecake so people should have expected that, right?

My recipe is based off of this one, but--as usual--I made some changes.  Also, this danish doesn't need any sort of glaze.  It might look nice, but the thing is 100% sweet enough without it.  I'm telling you: don't do it! 

Ingredients:

• 2 tubes Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 (plus or minus) cup Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.
3. Unroll crescent rolls and separate them into individual triangles. Arrange the triangles in an overlapping circle on the the pizza pan with the points out. (I originally used only 1 1/2 tubes of crescent dough, but this ended up with bigger spaces and some of the filling oozed out.  This wasn't bad, but use all of both and it should be better.)
   
4. Gently press the dough together where it overlaps.
5. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth (you might want to use a mixer, but I did fine with just a sturdy spatula) 
   
6. Spoon a generous dollop of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the base of each triangle. (Only use about half of it...Don't use it all!)
   
7. Mix the chocolate hazelnut spread into the remaining cream cheese filling.
8. Drop the chocolate filling between cream cheese filling.
   
9. Drag a spoon around the top of the dollops in one circle, evening them out on top
   
10. Fold the points over the filling and tuck them into the center of the ring, pressing gently.
    
    
11. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Cool before serving.  Store covered in refrigerator.