Prep Time::30 mins
Cook Time::35 mins
Additional Time:: 1 hr 40 mins
Total Time:: 2 hrs 45 mins
Servings::16
Yield::2 danishes
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh raspberries, divided
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, divided
6 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon almond extract
2 sheets frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
¼ cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
Directions
Whisk together white sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Stir in 1 cup of the raspberries and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and mashing raspberries with a wooden spoon, until raspberries break down and sauce thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove from saucepan to a medium bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, orange zest, cardamom, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and chill until ready to use.
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Place 1 puff pastry sheet on a floured piece of parchment paper. Roll into a 12×9-inch rectangle. Cut 10 to 12 (3 inches long and 1 inch thick) diagonal strips on each side, about 1 inch apart, leaving center 3 inches of pastry uncut. Spread 1/2 cup of the cream cheese filling in center (uncut) section of pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the top and bottom.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Top with 3 tablespoons of the raspberry mixture, and spread raspberry mixture gently over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup raspberries.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl. Brush exposed pastry lightly with egg mixture. Fold strips over filling, alternating each side to resemble a twist or a braid. Fold the bottom ends up to seal the filling inside. Repeat with the remaining sheet of puff pastry and the rest of the filling. Brush outside of each pastry with egg wash.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Transfer pastries, on parchment, to separate baking sheets. Freeze until pastry is firm, about 1 hour. (To make ahead, wrap Danish in parchment and then plastic wrap; freeze up to 1 month.)
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
While pastries freeze, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) with racks in upper and lower third of oven.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and puffed, rotating position of baking sheets in oven halfway through, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 5 tablespoons cream and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Drizzle over Danish and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Cook's Notes:
Work with puff pastry while it's cold. If it means you have to work in and out of the fridge, you have to do that.
Egg wash is your friend and pressing down on the puff to secure is crucial, to make sure the braid does not break open.