Danish Cheese Pockets Recipes

EASY CHEESE DANISH

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.

CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1/4 cup/32 grams confectioners' sugar, the egg yolk, the salt and the vanilla until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12 1/2-inch square. Trim 1/4 inch off each edge. Cut the dough into nine 4-inch squares. Brush the corners of each square with a bit of the beaten egg, then fold each corner into the center and press down gently. Transfer the squares to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Cut the tip off one corner of the filled plastic bag so you have a 1/2-inch hole. Use the bag to pipe the cheese filling onto the center of each dough square. Loosely cover the pastries with plastic wrap and let stand until slightly puffed, about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Remove the plastic and gently brush the top and sides of the dough with the beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue to bake until pastries are puffed and deep golden brown, another 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1 cup/128 grams confectioners' sugar and the milk. Let the Danish cool slightly on the sheet then drizzle with the glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GLAZED CHEESE DANISH SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• Combine cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
• Spread 1 can crescent roll dough onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread cream cheese mixture over top, and top with remaining can of crescent roll dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, at least 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze. Pour glaze on top of cooled Danishes and cut into squares.

DANISH CHEESE POCKETS

Steps:

• Combine cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla.
• Beat together with a small spatula.
• Place dough on a floured surface and lightly sprinkle flour over it.
• Using a rolling pin, press the dough in firm, parallel strokes to soften it.
• Flour the surface and the dough again if necessary.
• Roll dough out to a 12" x 17" rectangle.
• Slide dough onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Cut a 1-inch wide strip of dough from one of the narrow sides, and set it aside.
• Cut remaining dough into 12 4-inch squares.
• Leave squares in place and drop a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each square.
• Fold the four corners of each square in to meet in the center over the filling, overlapping only about 1/4 inch.
• Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
• Cut reserved pastry into 12 1-inch squares.
• Beat the egg and salt together and brush a little in the center of each pastry.
• Top with a square of the reserved dough.
• Cover and let rise until just starting to puff, about 20-30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Brush pastry all over with egg wash.
• Sprinkle with almonds.
• Bake until pastry is deep golden and filling is set, about 20 minutes.
• Cool on rack.
• Combine icing ingredients in a small saucepan and stir to mix.
• Cook over low heat until just lukewarm.
• Drizzle icing over pastry and let set.

DANISH ORANGE MARMALADE CHEESE POCKETS

Steps:

• Make the pastry dough: Whisk yeast into warm water. Wait 1-2 minutes, then whisk again. Whisk in milk.
• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to mix.
• Cut 4 tablespoons butter into thin slices and add to processor. Pulse to a fine texture -- not too much where it becomes pasty.
• Cut remaining butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to processor. Pule twice, 1-2 seconds each time. Remove dough and place in mixing bowl.
• Whisk eggs into yeast mixture and add to dough. Using a rubber spatula, hold blade horizontally. Press/dig spatula down into dough, repeating until dough comes together, turning the bowl while you work. The dough will be soft and sticky.
• Leave dough in bowl, covering dough surface tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1-2 hours.
• Place the chilled dough on a floured surface and sprinkle flour on top. Press dough into a rectangle (twice as long as it is wide).
• Starting at narrow edge farthest away from you, firmly press with a rolling pin in short parallel strokes. Seal any sticky areas with a bit of flour, and don't allow dough pieces to stick to rolling pin. Repeat, then press once across width of dough. You should have a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
• Sprinkle flour above and below dough.
• Rolling Directions: Create a rectangle 18 x 8: Starting on the edge nearest you, roll once away from you in length and once in width. Do NOT roll over the end/edge of the dough.
• Folding Directions: Fold the two narrow ends in toward the middle, leaving a 1 inch gap in the center. Fold the top to bottom to form 4 layers. Turn dough so folded edge is on the left.
• Repeat rolling and folding directions. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but no more than 12 hours.
• Filling: Add filling ingredients (except marmalade and chocolate chips) to a medium-size bowl. Beat together with a spatula (I use my KitchenAid mixer).
• Place HALF of the chilled dough on floured surface and sprinkle with flour.
• Using a rolling pin, press the dough in firm, parallel strokes to soften it. Flour surface and dough again if needed. Roll dough out into a 12 x 16 inch rectangle.
• Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Slide dough onto first cookie sheet and refrigerate 10 minutes (until firm).
• Repeat the above process with the second half of the pastry dough and place on second cookie sheet and chill 10 minutes until firm.
• Remove dough from refrigerator, leave dough in place on parchment paper. Cut each sheet of dough into 12 4-inch squares, keeping them in place on the parchment paper.
• Drop a heaping teaspoon of filling onto the center of each square. Top with a heaping teaspoon of marmalade or chocolate chips.
• Fold the dough corners into the middle, overlapping the filling by about 1/4 inch. Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes until they begin to puff. I did not notice much puffing.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Prepare the egg wash and brush to top of each pastry. Sprinkle with almonds or additional chocolate chips.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is set. My pastries were done at 15 minutes, so start checking after 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Combine icing ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over very low heat until lukewarm. Drizzle icing over slightly cooled pastry and allow to set.