Puff Pastry Cream Cheese & Fruit Danish - Foto Visualista

Carla
by Carla
10 Danishes
35 min

These are the easiest and most delicious Danish. Everyone will think you spent hours making them and they won’t be able to enjoy just one!

It was the day before Christmas Eve and I wanted something quick, easy, and delicious to serve for dessert. I’d all but forgotten about these delicious danish, but Dave remembered. Hubby to the rescue!  My mom and I whipped these up in no time on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. These Puff Pastry, Cream Cheese & Fruit Danish were a hit with everyone enjoying firsts, seconds, and some delighted in thirds!  


The ingredients are simple and easy to find in your favorite grocery store or dollar store. First, head over to the freezer aisle for the puff pastry, one box makes approximately 10 danish. Turn your shopping cart towards the baking section for your favorite can or cans of pie filling. Lastly, you’ll need an 8-ounce box of cream cheese. Keep in mind this is assuming your pantry and refrigerator have lemon juice, sugar, vanilla, and an egg.  


You won’t need any special tools, not unless you consider a hand mixer a special tool, ha, ha. All teasing aside you’ll need a rolling pin, hand mixer, pastry brush, fork, baking tray, parchment paper, and two round cookie cutters; 1st)- 3 1/2 inches, 2nd)-2 inches special kitchen tools.  


I find transferring the puff pastry from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it allows it to slowly defrost. The day I plan to make the danish I set the cream cheese out to soften and come to room temperature. This makes both easier to work with.  

Using a mixing bowl and a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until they are smooth and creamy. Set aside.


I use either a piece of parchment paper or a silicone pastry mat to flatten the folds in the puff pastry. Be sure to dust with flour first. This will help prevent sticking. Use your rolling pin and with light pressure flatten the folds in the puff pastry. If there are tears in the puff pastry dampen with water, press together until it’s resealed.  


Use your large 3-1/2″ round cookie cutter to cut 4 to 5 circles from each sheet of puff pastry. Next, using your small cookie cutter, apply light pressure to mark the center area where you will add the cream cheese and fruit filling. With a fork prick all over and inside the center circle. This slows the rise and puffing of the pastry.  


Spoon a dollop of cream cheese onto the center of each round of puff pastry. You don’t have to smooth it out, it will soften and smooth while baking.


In a small mixing bowl add your egg and a small splash of milk or water. Either works. Brush onto each round of the puff pastry. You do not brush it over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and transfer each danish round onto your baking tray(s).  


Place the baking tray(s) into a pre-heated 400-degree oven for approximately 12-18 minutes and until the pastry has puffed and becomes a light golden tone. Time will vary from oven to oven.  


When puffed and golden remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  Then spoon fruit filling on top of the cream cheese. You may want to leave a few of the danish with just the cream cheese, as they are delicious!  


Go ahead and taste one of these delicious and oh so easy danish!  Ahhhh, you are most welcome! 🙂 You and your family will love these and you will love how easy they are to prepare. These are a great addition to any gathering, wine crawl, holiday, or ……. everyone will love them and be super impressed and delighted with your baking skills.  


This delicious dessert is the perfect final course for many of our recipes. 

Such as: 

Shrimp Scampi Over Pasta

Delectable and Delicious Meatball Wellington

The Best Most Delicious Pasta Alla Vodka


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Above all, we appreciate you! We couldn’t do this without you, we hope you’ll love our Puff Pastry, Cream Cheese & Fruit Danish recipe, and look forward to seeing you around the blog, very soon!


Puff Pastry Cream Cheese & Fruit Danish - Foto Visualista
Recipe details
  • 10  Danishes
  • Prep time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 15 Minutes Total time: 35 min
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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!
Carla
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