Delicious Apple Cheese Danishes (Printer-friendly)
Flaky pastries with creamy cheese and spiced apples. Ideal for a delightful breakfast or dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
02 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
→ Cream Cheese Filling
03 - 6 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Apple Filling
06 - 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
11 - 1 tsp lemon juice
→ Decoration (optional)
12 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2–3 tsp milk or lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until apples are soft and syrupy. Let cool.
03 - Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
04 - Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface to smooth any creases. Cut into 8 equal squares.
05 - Place pastry squares on the prepared baking tray. Lightly score a smaller square inside each (do not cut all the way through), and prick the center with a fork.
06 - Spread a spoonful of cream cheese filling in the center of each pastry, keeping it inside the scored square. Top with a generous spoonful of the cooled apple mixture.
07 - Brush pastry edges with beaten egg. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
08 - Allow to cool slightly. For icing, mix powdered sugar with enough milk or lemon juice to make a drizzle; use a spoon to zigzag over cooled danishes if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The balance of tangy cream cheese and sweet spiced apples is absolute perfection.
- It uses store-bought puff pastry, so you get impressive results with half the effort.
02 -
- Cooling the apple filling before assembly is crucial, otherwise, the pastry will become soggy before it bakes.
- Keep the pastry chilled while you work if it starts to get too soft or sticky to handle.
03 -
- For a nutty crunch, add chopped pecans or walnuts to the apples during the last minute of cooking.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry squares to ensure the edges rise tall and straight.