Easy Puff Pastry Cream Cheese
Warm, flaky puff pastry danishes filled with sweet cream cheese and berry jam, finished with a simple glaze.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 box puff pastry 2 sheets, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 6 tbsp berry jam
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour for dusting the work surface
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp coarse sugar
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp almond extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth.
- Add the egg yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract to the cream cheese and mix until creamy and lump free; set aside.
- Lightly flour the work surface with the all purpose flour and unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto it.
- Gently roll the puff pastry just enough to smooth the creases without thinning the dough too much.
- Using the fold lines as a guide, cut the sheet into 3 long strips, then cut across the middle to make 6 rectangles.
- Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet to make a total of 12 rectangles.
- Transfer the pastry rectangles to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
- Using a sharp knife, lightly score a border about 1/4 inch from the edge of each rectangle, without cutting all the way through.
- Spoon about 1 tbsp of the cream cheese filling into the center of each rectangle and spread it gently within the scored border.
- Top the cream cheese on each pastry with about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp berry jam, keeping it inside the border.
- In a small bowl, whisk the whole egg with 2 tbsp water to make an egg wash.
- Brush the exposed pastry edges with the egg wash and sprinkle the edges with coarse sugar.
- Bake the pastries for 14 to 16 minutes, until puffed and deep golden and the filling looks set.
- Let the pastries cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp almond extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Add 1 1/2 tbsp water gradually, whisking until the glaze is smooth and pourable.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pastries and let it set for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Keep the puff pastry as cold as possible while you work so it puffs higher and stays flakier.
- Do not overfill the centers or the cream cheese and jam may spill over the scored border as they bake.
- You can use any berry jam you like, such as raspberry, strawberry, or mixed berry.
- Store leftover pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat briefly in a 325°F oven to crisp them.
- Do not overfill the centers or the cream cheese and jam may spill over the scored border as they bake.
- You can use any berry jam you like, such as raspberry, strawberry, or mixed berry.
- Store leftover pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat briefly in a 325°F oven to crisp them.