Lemon Cherry Cheese Danish Food

EASY CHERRY (OR APPLE) CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Unroll one package of crescent roll dough and seal edges to make one large sheet. Place in bottom of an ungreased 9" x 13" baking dish.
• In a bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla. Spread mixture over dough in baking dish. Spread cherry pie filling over cream cheese mixture. (If using apple pie filling, spread apple filling and then sprinkle with cinnamon (optional).
• Unroll remaining package of crescent roll dough and seal edges to form one large sheet. Lay dough over pie filling.
• Mix 1/8 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together. Sprinkle mixture over top of dough.
• Bake approximately 30 or until golden brown.

CHERRY CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly butter 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan (cookie sheet with sides).
• In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla with mixer until smooth.
• Remove dough from one tube of crescent rolls.
• Unroll and place in middle of pan.
• Pat out with fingers, pressing perforations together, until dough completely covers bottom of pan.
• Place in oven 4 minutes, or until slightly dry.
• Cool slightly and spread cream cheese mixture evenly over dough.
• Spread pie filling over cheese.
• Unroll remaining sheet of crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles along perforations.
• Arrange triangles on top of cherries, spaced evenly (will not cover surface completely).
• Brush with egg glaze.
• Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown and cheese mixture is set.
• Let cool and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
• Cut into squares and refrigerate until serving.

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 CHEESE DANISH (BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Don't whip!
• Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled Danish for 15 minutes.
• Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.