Breakfast Treat - Easy Cream Cheese Danish

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I have been having a random craving for cream cheese danishes lately.  I've always liked them, but I've never had a specific craving for them like I am as of late (no, I'm not pregnant.)  Something about the tart cream cheese filling with the buttery pastry is just so yummy to my taste buds lately.  And since I feel like since we only live once, we should enjoy it while we can, and I'm happy to indulge my craving.  And I'm extra happy to have learned how easy it is to make these treats at home.

This was my first time making them, and while I learned a few things that I will do better next time, they still came out good.

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Yield: 8 danishes     Prep time: 30 minutes   Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed but still cool
  • 8 oz cream cheese at room temp
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, divided yolks from whites
  • 1/4 cup flour, for rolling

Instructions

1.  The night before: take puff pastry from freezer and let defrost in fridge overnight.

2.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

3.  In a medium bowl, place room temperature cream cheese and sugar.  Using a spatula, cream together until smooth.  Add vanilla and 2 egg yolks and stir until just combined.

4.  On a floured surface, unfold one sheet of puff pastry.  With a floured rolling pin, slightly roll it until it is 10x10-inches.  Repeat with second puff pastry sheet.  [My note on this:  Adjust this instruction according to your situation.  You can see from the pictures that this instruction did not apply to me.  My puff pastry came in one big, rectangular sheet, and while I rolled it, I realized afterwards I didn't need to, because it was big enough to get 8 pastries out of (see next step). ]

5.  Cut each puff pastry sheet into 4 equal squares.  Spook a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each square.

6.  Brush all 4 edges of each pastry with an egg white wash (2 egg whites beaten with 1 tablespoon water.) Fold each corner in to be slightly touching the filling.  Carefully transfer each pastry to the lined baking sheet.

7.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

8.  Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown, rotating pan once halfway through.  Let cool. Enjoy.

 
 

Some additional notes:

  • If you're going to roll the puff pastry, be sure you use enough flour on the counter so it doesn't stick.  I didn't do this well, and I had a terrible time lifting them on to the baking sheet.
  • Try to work quickly once the puff pastry is out of the fridge.  The colder it is, the easier it is to work with.
  • As you can see, your pastries do not need to be squares.  You can customize.
  • When they come out the oven they will be huge, very puffed up.  They will flatten once they cool.
 
cream cheese danish.JPG