Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Danish

 Ingredients:

• Filling:
  • 12 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • zest of 1 large lemon
  • 1/2 large lemon, juiced
• Dough:
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed and rolled out a little
• Egg wash:
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tbsp water
• Sweet lemon glaze:
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbps heavy cream or milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat with a handheld mixer until well combined and creamy.
3. Prepare the dough: On prepared baking sheet, or a large cutting board, unroll thawed puff pastry sheet. Roll out a little to flatten the dough out. Carefully cut slits, about 1.5-2” long and 1” apart going down the side of the sheet. Repeat on opposite side.
4. Assemble: Spoon the cream cheese mixture down the center of the puff pastry sheet, leaving a small border between the mixture and the slits. Cross the strips over the top of the cream cheese mixture, alternating from one side, then the other, overlapping the ends in the middle.
5. Egg wash: Whisk together the egg and water and brush over the top of the braided pastry.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.
7. While pastry is cooling, make the glaze: Add glaze ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until creamy and smooth.
8. Let pastry cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then drizzle with glaze. Serve warm, or store in the refrigerator and drizzle with any remaining glaze, if desired.

Chef tips:

• If desired, the almond extract can be substituted with an equal amount of additional vanilla extract.
• To make individual cheese danish pastries, roll puff pastry dough out a little, then cut into squares (approximately 4 inches). Brush the edges of the squares with egg wash, then fold in each corner of the square (about 1″) towards the center. Press gently so they stick. Scoop a Tbsp or two of filling in the center of the squares, then brush exposed puff pastry with egg wash. Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes. Let cool, then glaze as directed.

Additional tips:

• For a richer flavor, use full-fat cream cheese.
• If you don't have almond extract, you can substitute another flavor extract, such as orange extract or maple extract.
• To make a lemon curd filling, heat 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Let cool completely before using.
• For a sweeter pastry, drizzle with additional glaze or dust with powdered sugar.
• Enjoy!