Fresh Fruit Cheese Danish Food

EASY CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper.
• Beat the whole egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl; set aside.
• Beat the egg yolk, cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
• Lay out the 2 sheets of puff pastry and cut each into 4 squares. Fold the corners of the squares over by about 1 inch to make octagon shapes. Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly into the center of each (about 2 tablespoons per); do not spread the cream cheese. Brush all of the exposed pastry with the egg wash, then dust generously with sugar.
• Bake until puffed and golden brown all over, about 18 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

EASY FRUIT AND CHEESE DANISH(CRESCENT ROLL DOUGH)

Steps:

• 1. PREP DOUGH: Unroll crescent dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Do not separate but pinch seams together to form a rectangle. Cut 1/2" "arms" along both sides approximately 1 1/2" inwards.
• 2. FILLING: Mix softened cream cheese with sugar and 1/4 tsp vanilla. Spread cream cheese filling down center, and then spoon a thin line of pie filling down the center of the cheese. Gently pull dough strips from each side up and over top of filling, just crossing in the middle. At the ends fold the strips upward a bit to seal ends.
• 3. BAKE: @ 375 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. GLAZE: Mix the powdered sugar and cream/milk and 1/4 tsp vanilla to form the glaze. Drizzle back and forth over warm danish. Cut and serve.

DANISH PASTRY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 2/3 cup of flour. Divide into 2 equal parts, and roll each half between 2 pieces of waxed paper into a 6 x12 inch sheet. Refrigerate.
• In a large bowl, mix together the dry yeast and 3 cups of the remaining flour. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and salt. Heat to 115 degrees F (43 degrees C), or just warm, but not hot to the touch. Mix the warm milk mixture into the flour and yeast along with the eggs, and lemon and almond extracts. Stir for 3 minutes. Knead in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is firm and pliable. Set aside to rest until double in size.
• Cut the dough in half, and roll each half out to a 14 inch square. Place one sheet of the cold butter onto each piece of dough, and fold the dough over it like the cover of a book. Seal edges by pressing with fingers. Roll each piece out to a 20x 12 inch rectangle, then fold into thirds by folding the long sides in over the center. Repeat rolling into a large rectangle, and folding into thirds. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove from the refrigerator one at a time, and roll and fold each piece two more times. Return to the refrigerator to chill again before shaping. If the butter gets too warm, the dough will become difficult to manage.
• To make danishes, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. The dough can be cut into squares, with a filling placed in the center. Fold 2 of the corners over the center to form a filled diamond shape. Or, fold the piece in half, cut into 1 inch strips, stretch, twist and roll into a spiral. Place a dollop of preserves or other filling in the center. Place danishes on an ungreased baking sheet, and let rise until doubled. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Danishes can be brushed with egg white for a shiny finish.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottoms are golden brown.

EASY CHERRY CREAM CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Combine cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Bring the cherry mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, about 5 to 10 minutes. The cherry sauce will start to thicken significantly. Turn off heat and stir in almond extract. Allow the filling to cool while thawing the pastry dough, at room temperature, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Roll out the thawed pastry dough on a lightly floured surface, into a 9 x 12 rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thirds. Using a pastry wheel or small knife, score a border ½ inch around the edge of each rectangle.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture into the middle of each piece of dough. Spread the cream cheese evenly, trying to make sure the mixture stays within the borders.
• Spoon 5 to 7 cherries into the middle of the cream cheese with some of the cherry juice.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, on the middle rack in the oven.
• Remove the danishes from the baking sheet with a spatula and place onto a wire cooking rack to cool.
• When the danishes are cool, Combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the danishes or use a piping bag for a more decorative touch.
• Serve warm. Reheat in a toaster oven, microwave or serve at room temperature.

DANISH DELIGHTS - ANY FRUIT, PIE FILLING OR ALMOND

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, cottage cheese (if using) and sugar until smooth in a mixer. Add egg, lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
• If using dried fruit, fold it into the cream cheese mixture. If using fresh fruit, jam or pie filling, hold it aside.
• If using Pillsbury rolls, open crescent rolls. Do not unroll, just slice into 8 pieces. If you made your own, shape into 8 rounds.
• Place on silpat. Press in the center to make a depression for the cream cheese and fruit/filling or jam.
• Place 1/8th of the mixture in the center of each. If using fresh fruit, pie filling or jam, spoon some on top of that in the center of each.
• If using nuts, sprinkle on top now.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove fro oven and place on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes.
• Mix butter and confectioners' sugar. Then add milk and mix to make icing.
• Drizzle over each danish.

FRESH FRUIT CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Place the pastry sheets on work surface; cut each sheet into fourths.
• Have 2 baking sheets lined with parchment or Silpat ready.
• In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, half & half, egg, powdered sugar, and lemon zest.
• Divide the mixture among the 8 squares of pastry, placing the cheese in the center of each square.
• Top each with a tablespoon of fruit choice. Cut a small slit in the corners of each pastry square, then fold the pastry over the cheese so that the center is exposed. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Bake in a 425* oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with powdered sugar, cool slightly before serving. The.
• preparation time is an estimate.
• ENJOY !

BLUEBERRY CHEESE DANISH PASTRIES

Steps:

• Make the Danish pastry:
• In a large bowl proof the yeast with 1/4 cup warm water for 5 minutes, or until it is foamy, and stir in the sugar, the salt, the yolks, the vanilla, and the milk. Add 3 1/4 cups of the flour, stirring until the dough is combined well (it will be soft and slightly sticky), and chill the dough, covered, for 1 hour. On a cool surface (preferably marble) beat the butter with a rolling pin until it is smooth but still cold, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour, and blend the mixture quickly until it is smooth. Working quickly, form the butter mixture into a 6-inch square and chill it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 15 to 30 minutes, or until it is firmer but still malleable. On a well-floured surface roll the dough into a 12-inch square, lay the butter diagonally in the center of the square, and fold the corners of the dough tightly over the butter like an envelope, enclosing the butter completely. Brush off any excess flour and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal them. With the rolling pin flatten the dough gently with uniform impressions and roll it from the center away from you to within 1/2 inch of the end. Turn the strip 180° and roll the dough again from the center away from you to within 1/2 inch of the end. Continue to roll the dough in this manner until it forms an 18-by 8-inch rectangle. (It is important not to roll over the ends in this first rolling to help the later formation of even layers of butter and dough.) Brush off any excess flour from the dough, fold the top quarter of the rectangle down to the center of the strip, and fold the bottom quarter of the rectangle up to the center, leaving about 1/2 inch between the 2 ends. Fold the top half of the dough over the bottom to close the dough like a book. Turn the dough 90° so a short side faces you, roll it again into an 18- by 8-inch rectangle, and fold it in the same manner. This completes 2 "turns." Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour. Make 2 more turns in the same manner, always beginning with a short side facing you and chilling the dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour between each turn. Chill the dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Make the filling:
• In a bowl beat together the cream cheese, the sugar, the yolk, the vanilla, the salt, the zests, and the flour until the mixture is smooth and chill the filling, covered, for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
• Roll half the dough into a 16- by 8-inch rectangle, trim the edges evenly, and cut the rectangle into eight 4-inch squares. Stretch 2 opposite corners of each square slightly to lengthen the dough and form flaps that will enclose the filling. Roll out, cut, and stretch the remaining dough in the same manner. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto the center of each square of dough, sprinkle about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the blueberries over it, and brush the flaps with some of the egg wash. Fold 1 of the flaps across the berries, fold the other flap across the berries in the opposite direction, overlapping the first flap, and tuck the second flap under the Danish. Brush the Danish pastries with the egg wash, arrange them about 3 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets, and let them stand for 1 hour. Bake the Danish pastries in the middle of a preheated 350°F.
• oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden.
• Make the glaze while the Danish pastries are baking:
• In a bowl whisk together the confectioners' sugar, sifted, and enough of the lemon juice to make a thick but pourable glaze.
• Transfer the Danish pastries to a rack and drizzle some of the glaze over each pastry. The Danish pastries may be cooled to room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, and frozen for 1 month. Transfer the Danish pastries to a baking sheet and bake them in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 5 minutes, or until they are heated through.

PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add sugar, egg yoke, vanilla, pineapple juice and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• Unroll crescent rolls and separate into precut triangles.
• Place triangles on an ungreased baking sheet so that the wider end of the crescent is in the center forming the circle with about a 5 inch opening in the center and the smaller tip of the crescent is on the outside.*When forming the circle, the wider ends of the crescents will overlap each other.
• Spread cream cheese mixture over the wide part of the crescents.
• Add pineapple on top of cream cheese mixture.
• Fold the small tip of the crescent over and tuck under the wider part to secure forming the ring.
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
• Using a one cup measuring cup, pour powdered sugar and pineapple juice together and stir until combined. Stir in crushed pineapple.
• Drizzle glaze over pastry ring and cut into desired portions. Enjoy!