Puff Pastry, Cream Cheese & Fruit Danish
Quick, Easy, and Delicious home made danish.
Equipment
- hand mixer, rolling pin, baking tray, 3-1/2 inch round cookie cutter, 2 inch round cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 2 sheets or one box of Puff Pastry thawed
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 tbl Sugar
- 1 can Pie filling or several different flavors
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
- additional sugar or best is coarse sugar to sprinkle before baking
Instructions
- Defrost your box of puff pastry by transferring it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it.
- Soften the cream cheese by placing it on your kitchen counter allowing it to come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- In a small mixing bowl use a hand mixer to blend together until creamy cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice, and sugar. Set aside.
- In a small bowl beat together an egg and a splash of water to make an egg wash.
- Use a rolling pin and non-stick surface, such as a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper to roll out and remove folds in parchment paper. First, dust your mat or parchment paper with flour, to further prevent sticking. Also, dust the surface of the puff pastry to limit sticking to your rolling pin. Apply "light" pressure you are only flattening the folds.
- Use a large 3-1/2 to 4 inch round cookie cutter and cut 4 to 5 rounds from each sheet of puff pastry.
- Use the small cookie cutter to lightly mark the centers of your pastry rounds.
- Use a fork to prick the center circle. Make sure you prick over the entire center circle, many times. This will help reduce the rise of the puff pastry within the center circle and where your cream cheese and fruit filling will rest.
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the center circle. Approximately 1 tablespoon per danish. It isn't necessary to smooth it completely, as it will soften and smooth during the baking process.
- Brush the egg wash onto the exposed outer edges of the puff pastry or any area not covered by the cream cheese. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Transfer each danish round to your parchment paper-lined baking sheet(s). I use a wide spatula for this.
- Bake uncovered for 12-20 minutes until puffed and lightly golden. Baking time varies from oven to oven.
- Allow danish to cool.
- Spoon on your favorite pie filling or fillings. *You may want to leave a few danish with just the cream cheese filling and no fruit filling. They are a delicious alternative.
- Serve and enjoy!