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Cream Cheese Danish Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 58 reviews

This Cream Cheese Danish recipe combines flaky, golden puff pastry with a smooth and sweet cream cheese filling, topped with rich homemade chocolate ganache. Perfect for a delightful breakfast treat or an elegant dessert, these Danish pastries are easy to prepare and bake to perfection with a crisp, buttery crust and luscious fillings.

Ingredients

Scale

Puff Pastry

  • 2 Frozen puff pastry sheets

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup White granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash

  • 1 Large egg
  • 1 tsp Water

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup Heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Thaw: Place frozen puff pastry sheets on the counter for 30 minutes to thaw until pliable but still cold.
  2. Make Chocolate Ganache: Pour chocolate chips into a bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips.
  3. Mix Ganache: Let sit for 1 minute and 30 seconds to soften the chocolate. Stir gently until smooth. If chunks remain, microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring well between each, until fully melted. Let ganache sit at room temperature for 2 hours until pudding-like in texture.
  4. Beat Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer on high speed for 1 minute. Add sugar and beat again for 1 minute. Mix in vanilla extract until fully combined and creamy.
  5. Prepare Pastry: Place thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Press seams together gently with your fingers. Using a sharp knife, cut each sheet into thirds along the seams to form 3 long rectangles, then cut each rectangle in half to create 6 rectangles per sheet.
  6. Apply Egg Wash: Whisk together the egg and water. With a pastry brush, spread egg wash around the edges of each pastry rectangle to help seal and create a golden finish when baked.
  7. Preheat and Line Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Cut Inner Rectangle: Place pastries on the cookie sheets, 6 per sheet. Using a sharp knife, gently score a smaller rectangle inside each pastry rectangle, leaving a 1/2 inch border, being careful not to cut all the way through. This allows the edges to puff up around the filling.
  9. Fill Pastries: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling into the center of each scored rectangle, spreading it evenly within the inner box.
  10. Chill Pastries: Place one baking sheet in the fridge and the other in the freezer. Allow the sheet in the freezer to chill for 5 minutes to ensure the butter in the pastry stays cold for optimal rise during baking.
  11. Bake: Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before baking the next sheet.
  12. Add Ganache Topping: Once the pastries are completely cool, spoon the chocolate ganache over the cream cheese filling on each danish. Make sure some cream cheese remains visible around the edges of the chocolate for contrast.

Notes

  • Ensure puff pastry stays cold until baking to achieve maximum flakiness and rise.
  • If ganache thickens too much, gently warm it to loosen before spooning over pastries.
  • Use parchment paper or silicone mats for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
  • Allow pastries to cool completely before adding ganache to prevent melting and spreading.
  • Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for 4 days.

Keywords: cream cheese danish, puff pastry dessert, chocolate ganache, breakfast pastry, homemade danish

Find it online: https://liamjayne.com/cream-cheese-danish-recipe/