Recipe Background
These danishes combine tradition with simplicity, making them an ideal move-in treat.
It was the summer I was handed the keys to my very first apartment. The thrill of independence was as palpable as the distinct aroma of freshly baked puff pastry. Grandpa volunteered to help me get settled on move-in day, and he showed up with a box of ingredients: cream cheese, vanilla extract, raspberry jam, and his favorite frozen puff pastry. These were not just ingredients but a legacy. ‘We’re making my go-to danishes,’ he declared, unbothered by the fact that my kitchen was nothing but boxes and chaos.
I watched him effortlessly dust the countertop with flour, sharing tales of his youth as he rolled out the dough, transforming each square into a potential masterpiece. Grandpa insisted on using a silky cream cheese topping mixed with just the right touch of sugar and vanilla, while the jam brought a pop of sweetness that felt like a hug from an old friend. 'Don’t rush things,' he reminded me, 'let each square breathe on the baking sheet,' ensuring that the pastry's corners stood tall and proud.
As they baked, the comforting scent wafted through the empty rooms, making the space feel like home for the first time. I stood beside him, grateful for the shared experience and for the danishes that would soon become my own go-to recipe, perfect in their simplicity. Grandpa’s handy tip to brush the pastry with a light egg wash left them gleaming and golden, a finishing touch that brought us a shared victory as they emerged crispy and warm from the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more, to taste, for dusting a work surface
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large egg yolks divided
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 (17.3-ounce 2-count) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam can substitute jam of your choice
- confectioners' sugar optional, to taste, for topping
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line two 18x26-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the flour, and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Add 1 of the egg yolks to the cream cheese mixture and beat to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add the water and the remaining egg yolk and beat to combine.
- Using the extra flour, lightly dust a work surface.
- On the prepared work surface, unfold each sheet of the puff pastry and roll each sheet into a 12-inch square.
- Cut each square into nine 4-inch squares.
- Transfer the pastry squares to the prepared baking sheets.
- Top each square with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture and 1 heaping teaspoon of the jam.
- Bring 2 opposite corners of the pastry over the filling and seal it with the egg wash mixture.
- Brush the tops of the pastries with the remaining egg wash mixture.
- Bake until golden-brown, about 14-16 minutes.
- Serve dusted with the confectioners' sugar.
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