Puff Pastry Danish

After visiting a bakery that had such amazing pastries, I was craving some fresh, buttery, flaky pastries at home. I still had puff pastry leftover from making Asparagus Puff Pastry Twists, so I figured I would use the rest to make puff pastry danish. Danish pastries typically use a yeasted laminated dough to give it extra springy layers, but frozen puff pastry is so much more accessible!

Most sweet Danishes I’ve encountered are typically just cheese or a cheese topped with some fruits. I love the creamy fruity mix, but feel free to opt out of the fruit if that doesn’t interest you.

Ingredients

Puff pastry – any store bought works great, but be sure to defrost your sheet of puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight to ensure it’s easier to work with

Fruit – I used my Strawberry Rhubarb Jam to top this off, but you can use pieces of fresh fruit or any other fruit jam or preserve you have your hands on. I think some fig jam or strawberry preserves would be divine.

Puff Pastry Danish

Print Recipe
Quick & easy at home fruit & cheese danish for a satisfying home-baked pastry
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Keyword danish, puff pastry
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup fruit jam/preserves optional
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F
  • Make your cheese mix by mixing cream cheese with sugar, salt, and vanilla. Set aside.
  • Unroll your puff pastry from the packaging and lay flat.
  • Cut into 6 even pieces.
  • Using a fork, stab the center area of each plank of puff pastry to prevent the center filling area to puff too much and risk your filling oozing out.
  • Divide cheese filling among 6 puff pastry planks. Leave about a 1/2 inch border along each puff plank.
  • Top the cheese with~1 tbsp of fruit jam/preserves.
  • Brush the edges of the puff with heavy cream to help browning, egg for shine, or a mix of both for browning and shine.
  • Bake for about ~15 minutes, until puffed on the edges and golden brown.
  • Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and enjoy!

More baking? Try Blackberry Rhubarb Muffins or Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Asparagus Puff Pastry Twists

It’s still a little rainy in Washington and Arizona has already jumped into the upper 90s for summer, so if I average the weather in both places, can we call it spring? Spring leads to summers of outdoor parties and gatherings. I love a snacky handheld that can hold up outside! Asparagus season is peaking so this is the perfect time for this asparagus twists. They’re so fun and fancy looking that people will think you spent a lot more time cooking than you actually did.

Ingredients:

Asparagus – pick a bunch of asparagus that is more “mid-sized”. Larger asparagus may not fully cook through and thinner asparagus will shrivel up into nothing.

Puff pastry – store bought, please! who has time for lamination?

Seasoning sprinkle – this one is parmesan & pepper, but feel free to mix up the flavor variations to maybe lemon & butter, italian seasoning, onion & red pepper flakes, or goat cheese & chive.

Asparagus Puff Pastry Twists

Print Recipe
A fun spring/summer handheld appetizer that is perfect for any gathering.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Keyword asparagus, puff pastry
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus
  • 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan
  • 1 tbsp black pepper

Instructions

  • The evening before, put your puff pastry into the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
  • Wash & break the hard ends off the asparagus pieces.
  • Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into long strips that are about the same width as the pieces of asparagus.
  • Holding the base of the asparagus, squish one end of the puff pastry around the base of the asparagus and wrap the remaining piece of the puff pastry up the stalk of the asparagus. Don't worry about wrapping too tightly, as the puff pastry will be entwined into the asparagus when it bakes.
  • Ensure that the pieces of puff pastry aren't touching on the baking sheet.
  • Brush milk over puff pastry pieces to help with browning.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 400F.
  • Remove from the oven after baking, and immediately sprinkle Parmesan and black pepper on each piece.
  • Serve after briefly cooling or at room temp!

More asparagus? Have some Savory Asparagus Galette

Need to bring a dessert? Make some Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies