Description
Homemade cherry danish showcases delicate pastry layers filled with creamy cheese and tangy cherries. Danish pastries combine flaky textures with rich European baking traditions you can savor with morning coffee or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, softened
- 21 oz (595 g) original country cherry, 1 can, drained
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 large egg yolk, for brushing on the danish
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Pastry Preparation: Thaw frozen pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes while keeping it folded to maintain structural integrity.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Blend cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt until achieving a smooth, silky texture using an electric mixer.
- Pastry Assembly: Lay parchment paper on baking sheet, unfold pastry, dust with flour, and roll out carefully. Create a central cream cheese filling strip, leaving margins on both sides.
- Cherry Distribution: Evenly scatter fresh cherries across the cream cheese filling, ensuring balanced coverage.
- Braiding Technique: Make diagonal cuts along pastry edges, maintaining a small border near the filling. Weave pastry strips across the filling, alternating sides to create an elegant braided design with visible cherries.
- Egg Wash and Baking: Brush pastry surface with beaten egg yolk. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 25 minutes until achieving a rich, golden-brown color.
- Glazing Finish: Whisk powdered sugar and milk to create a smooth glaze. Once danish reaches room temperature, drizzle glaze generously across the surface and allow to set before serving.
Notes
- Pastry Softening Strategy: Let frozen puff pastry thaw at room temperature for exactly 30 minutes, keeping it folded to prevent cracking or structural damage.
- Cream Cheese Mixing Technique: Use low-speed electric mixer to create a smooth, lump-free filling, ensuring ingredients blend uniformly without overworking the mixture.
- Braiding Pro Tip: Make precise diagonal cuts along pastry edges, maintaining a small border near filling to prevent leakage and achieve a professional-looking braid.
- Golden Brown Perfection: Brush pastry with beaten egg yolk before baking to create a rich, glossy exterior and enhance overall color and shine.
- Prep Time: 15min
- Cook Time: 25min
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Danish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg