Cheese Danishes

My daughter always asks me to buy danishes. Apparently, everyone at her school loves these packaged danishes that they serve. The thought of that is pretty gross to me, but I've heard multiple people at the school say how great they are. I needed to show Isabella that her mom can make a mean danish right in the kitchen at home. I looked at many recipes and there were things I didn't like about each of them, so I decided to come up with my own recipe that combines the things I loved from several recipes that I saw along the way.

Cheese Danishes

• 2 8oz containers of cream cheese, cut in cubes
• 2 teaspoons sour cream
• zest of one lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

For the glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Thaw the puff pastry just enough so it will unfold without forcing it and place on a lightly floured surface. Flour the surface of the pastry and roll it out to about 10" x 10" Cut the dough into four even pieces. Repeat this method for the other sheet of pastry.

Cut the cream cheese into cubes. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each piece of pastry. Beat the egg in a small bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush the outside edges of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold the dough in from opposite corners and then seal the edges closed. If you don't seal it well you will be able to see some of your filling (not a real issue except for the way it looks). Brush the top of all of the danishes with the egg wash and then place them on a parchment covered baking sheet. Refrigerate the danishes for about 10 minutes before placing them in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet until they come to room temperature before drizzling them with the glaze.

To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and water in a small bowl and stir. Pour the glaze into a ziplock bag and then snip a very small corner of the bag and drizzle the glaze over the top of the danishes.

These were spectacular!! The strawberry was a great piece of fruit to serve with the danish.

The zing of the lemon paired up wonderfully.

Enjoy!!