Indulgent Cherry Cheese Danish (Printable View)

Golden puff pastry encases a creamy cheese filling topped with sweet cherries—perfect for any occasion.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
02 - Flour, for dusting work surface

→ Cheese Filling

03 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
04 - 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese
05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg yolk
07 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
08 - Pinch of salt
09 - 1/2 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

→ Cherry Topping

10 - 1 can cherry pie filling

→ Egg Wash

11 - 1 large egg white
12 - 1 tablespoon water

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Thaw puff pastry sheets according to package directions while keeping them cold to maintain flakiness.
02 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg yolk, ricotta cheese, almond extract, salt, and lemon zest until fully combined. Refrigerate the mixture while preparing the pastry.
03 - Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll out each sheet of puff pastry to a 10 x 10 inch square, keeping the dough chilled. Using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut pastry into shapes and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets.
04 - Gently prick the center of each heart with a fork, leaving a 1/2 inch border unpricked. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of cheese filling onto the center of each piece. Add about 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling on top, ensuring several whole cherries per danish.
05 - Combine the egg white and 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Brush the exposed edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash.
06 - Refrigerate the assembled pastries for 15 minutes to help prevent the filling from leaking during baking.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F with the rack in the center position. Bake the danishes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
08 - Allow danishes to cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving.

# Supplementary Details:

01 - Resting filled pastries in the refrigerator before baking keeps the pastry layers defined and helps preserve their structure.

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