Description
Flaky Blueberry and Cheese Puff Pastry Danish are easy to make pastries that are sure to impress. Start with store bought frozen puff pastry. Fill with sweetened cream cheese and fresh blueberries. Finish with a sprinkle of coarse sugar and bake until light and crispy. It's better than any bakery sweet treat. Enjoy a danish for breakfast, brunch, an afternoon pick me up, or a late night snack.
Ingredients
Units
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for the danish
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups blueberries
- 1/4 cup blueberry preserves
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- all purpose flour
- 2 puff pastry sheets, thawed if frozen (Pepperidge Farm 17.3 oz box)
for the icing
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Prep the baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the cheese filling: In a bowl, add the cream cheese, egg yolk, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Beat on medium low speed until creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the blueberry filling: In a bowl, add the blueberries, preserves, and cornstarch. Stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
- Roll and cut the dough: Lightly flour a work surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry and place it on the flour. Roll into a 12 inch by 12 inch square. Cut into 4 smaller squares. Place on a baking sheet and top with a sheet of foil. Prepare the second sheet of puff pastry the same way and place them on the same baking sheet. Put baking sheet in the refrigerator.
- Make egg wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.
- Assemble the danish: Take one puff pastry square out of the refrigerator and place it on a work surface so it has a corner pointing up ~ like a diamond shape (see photo above). Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cheese filling. Spread the cheese filling in a line from the top corner to the bottom corner. Add a heaping 1/4 cup of the blueberry filling on top of the cheese filling. Brush the outside edge of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold the 2 opposite corners to the center of the danish so they overlap. Brush the top of the danish with more egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar. Place on the lined baking sheet. Continue assembling the remaining danish. There should be 4 danish on each baking sheet.
- Bake the danish: Place the baking sheets in the oven. Bake the danish for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Make the icing: While the danish cool, make the icing. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Stir to combine. Add more lemon juice if needed to make the icing thin enough to drizzle on the danish.
- Drizzle the icing: With a spoon, drizzle each danish with the icing.
- Serve the danish: The danish are best eaten the day they are made. Store up to 2 days in a covered container or cake stand.
Notes
- Room temperature cream cheese: Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before starting the recipe. Soft cream is easier to mix.
- Chill the pastry: The dough softens at room temperature making it difficult to work with. After rolling and cutting the puff pastry, place the squares on a baking sheet between layers of foil in the refrigerator. Take one square out at a time when assembling the danish.
- Use a ruler: A tape measure or ruler makes it easy to measure the rolled out puff pastry.
- Cool the danish: Before drizzling the icing on the danishes, cool completely.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: breakfast
- Method: bake in oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 danish
- Calories: 522
- Sugar: 18.4 g
- Sodium: 235 mg
- Fat: 33.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 12.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.3 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 7.2 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg