You can use puff pastry dough from the store, but of course, Maggie makes her own and so do I. It’s not that hard.
Ingredients:
1 batch of puff pastry, either the homemade kind (recipe below) or store-bought, thawed
Puff pastry recipe follows this one.
Filling:
8 oz (227 g) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (80 g) caster sugar, baker’s sugar, or granulated sugar (only 100 g)
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
Egg wash:
1 large egg
2 tsp (10 ml) water
Glaze (optional):
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
1 to 1-1/2 tbsp (15 to 22 ml) milk
3/4 tsp (7.5 ml) vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F (205C).
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the filling by stirring or whisking the ingredients together. Set aside.
Make the egg wash by whisking the egg and water together. Set aside.
Divide the homemade puff pastry into two equal parts. Store-bought dough comes in two sheets.
Roll the dough into 12-inch by 12-inch square.
Cut the dough into 16 squares and place them evenly on the baking sheets.
Put a dollop of filling in the middle of the danish, the amount will depend on which fold you use.
Fold the dough into your favorite danish shape. (Illustrations below)
Brush egg wash on the pastry parts of the danish. There’s no need to brush it on any parts of the danish where the filling is showing.
Bake the danish for 15 minutes and then look at them. If they aren’t yet golden brown, check every minute or so until they are.
Allow the danish to cool while you make the glaze. Whisk the glaze ingredients together. The glaze will be liquidy and not thick like frosting.
Personally, I don’t glaze them because I like to eat my danish while they are still warm. But, if you will be serving them later, drizzling glaze over them will make them a tad prettier and hide any folding imperfections. Drizzle the glaze with a spoon, making lines back and forth on top of the cooled danish.
Note About Caster Sugar: Some recipes just do better with a finer sugar than your everyday granulated stuff. In the UK it’s called caster sugar and in the US it’s baker’s sugar or extra fine sugar. You can make caster sugar by putting granulated sugar in a blender and whirring it for 3 to 5 seconds. Measure the 1/2 cup after whirring because the volume will change. Or use a kitchen scale and measure by weight. That won’t change. You can use any leftover sugar in your tea or coffee. It dissolves faster than granulated.