Apple Cheese Danishes (Print)
Flaky pastries filled with creamy cheese and spiced apple.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet puff pastry (about 8 oz), thawed
02 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
→ Cheese Filling
03 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Apple Filling
06 - 1 large apple, peeled, cored, diced
07 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
08 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
09 - 1 tsp lemon juice
10 - 1/2 tbsp butter
→ Icing
11 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 - 1–2 tbsp milk
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add diced apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Cook for 3–4 minutes until apples are soft and syrupy. Remove from heat and let cool.
03 - In a bowl, mix cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Roll out puff pastry and cut into 8 equal squares.
05 - Place squares on the baking sheet. Score a border about 1/2 inch from the edge without cutting through the dough.
06 - Spread 1 tbsp cheese filling in the center of each square. Top with a spoonful of apple mixture.
07 - Brush edges with beaten egg.
08 - Bake for 18–20 minutes or until pastries are golden and puffed.
09 - Cool for 10 minutes. Whisk powdered sugar with milk to form icing, then drizzle over danishes.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It creates bakery worthy results at home with surprisingly little active effort.
- The warm spiced apple filling pairs perfectly with the cool creamy cheese layer.
02 -
- Do not overload the center of the pastry or the filling will leak out during baking.
- Cooling the apples before putting them on the dough prevents the pastry from becoming soggy.
03 -
- Freezing the puff pastry for ten minutes before cutting makes for cleaner edges.
- Use a sharp knife and avoid dragging it through the dough to maintain the rise.