“Peaches and Cream” Cheese Danish
I grew up eating that Entenmann’s Cheese Danish Twist loaf from the grocery store all the time. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it, but it’s like a coffee cake meets danish with a cream cheese filling and crumb topping and it was absolutely all I wanted as a child. That and the Entenmann’s Chocolate Cake, which was also so amazing. None of this is sponsored by the way, it’s just me reliving my childhood indulgence, but I digress.
I’ve always wanted to try making that cheese danish twist at home, but really the thought of making a yeasted dough and then the filling and then the topping and then waiting for it to bake it all too much for me. I might as well just buy the darn thing and eat it in two seconds flat. It would be much simpler I guarantee you. That did get me thinking though, what if I made a danish using store-bought puff pastry instead and still filled it with a sweetened cream cheese mixture and a crumb topping? The peaches looked so good at the store that I figured why not throw those in as well and so that is how this “Peaches and Cream” Cheese Danish came to be. All thanks to that Entenmann’s childhood dream of mine. You are most very welcome.
“Peaches and Cream” Cheese Danish
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
- Pastry bag with tip
Ingredients
Danish:
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup a flour
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed
- 3 ripe yellow peaches peeled cored and sliced
Topping:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter slightly firm
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg, vanilla, lemon juice and flour until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag, fitted with a large plain circle tip; set aside.
- Unwrap both sheets of puff pastry and cut each into six even rectangles so you end up with twelve pieces. Place six on each prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp pairing knife make an outline on each piece of pastry along the edge to create a border. Do not cut all the way down through the pastry, just slightly. Then use a fork to poke holes throughout the center of each. Place the sheets in the freezer for about 10 minutes to rechill.
- Meanwhile, make the topping. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and work it in with your fingers until coarse and resembles chunky sand.
- Whisk the remaining egg with a splash of water and brush the pastry sheets liberally with the egg wash. Pipe out about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the center of each. Then top with the sliced peaches. Sprinkle liberally with the crumb topping and bake until puffed up and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!
