Description
This Simple Homemade Cheese Danish recipe features a flaky, buttery pastry filled with a creamy sweetened cream cheese mixture. Perfect for breakfast or a delightful snack, the cheese Danish balances a tender dough with a rich filling, topped with a light glaze or powdered sugar for added sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Dough
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Baking powder
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter (cold, cut into small pieces)
- 1/2 cup Milk
Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces Cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup Vanilla sugar
- 1 large Egg yolk
Toppings
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
- Glaze (made from milk and sugar)
- 1 beaten egg (for brushing tops)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it is hot and ready when ready to bake your cheese Danish.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder until evenly mixed, forming the base of your dough.
- Cut in the butter: Add the cold, small pieces of unsalted butter to your dry mixture. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, which contributes to a flaky texture.
- Add milk and form dough: Slowly pour in the milk while mixing to bring the dough together. Adjust with a little more milk if the dough is too dry. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead it until smooth, preparing it for rolling.
- Roll out the dough: Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick, ready for cutting and filling.
- Prepare cheese filling: In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla sugar and egg yolk, mixing until creamy and well combined to create the filling.
- Shape the Danish: Cut the rolled dough into squares or triangles. Place a dollop of the cheese filling in the center of each piece, then fold the corners over the filling to seal it gently.
- Prepare for baking: Place the filled pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg to give them a shiny, golden finish after baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the Danish are puffed up and golden brown, indicating they are cooked through.
- Cool and finish: Remove the pastries from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with a milk and sugar glaze for added sweetness and shine.
Notes
- Use cold butter to achieve a flaky pastry texture.
- If dough is sticky, sprinkle a little extra flour while kneading.
- Vanilla sugar enhances the flavor but can be replaced with a teaspoon of vanilla extract if unavailable.
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Glaze can be adjusted in sweetness by varying the sugar amount.
- Serve fresh for best texture; leftovers can be reheated briefly in the oven.
