Description
Sweet and indulgent Blackberry Cream Cheese Danish brings European pastry magic to home kitchens. Buttery layers cradle silky cream cheese and bright blackberry filling, creating a breakfast treat that elevates morning moments with delightful flavor and elegance.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Blackberry Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) blackberries (fresh or frozen)
- 6 ounces (170 grams) fresh blackberries (for garnish)
Pastry and Base Ingredients:
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Filling and Sweet Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (73 grams) turbinado sugar
- Powdered sugar (for garnish)
Additional Preparation Ingredient:
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
Instructions
- Create a vibrant blackberry curd by pulverizing fresh berries and straining to eliminate seeds, then slowly reduce the puree over gentle heat until concentrated.
- Combine the reduced blackberry puree with sugar, eggs, and lemon juice in a saucepan, stirring continuously until the mixture transforms into a thick, glossy consistency.
- Remove the blackberry curd from heat, whisk in butter until seamlessly incorporated, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a silky texture. Allow the curd to cool completely.
- Craft a luxurious cream cheese filling by blending cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
- Warm the oven to 400°F and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dust a work surface with flour and carefully unfold puff pastry sheets, cutting each into nine elegant circular rounds.
- Arrange pastry rounds on prepared sheets, delicately piercing the centers with a fork to prevent excessive rising.
- Dollop a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into the center of each pastry round, maintaining a clear border.
- Delicately brush pastry edges with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar around the perimeter for a crystalline crunch.
- Bake the danish for 15-18 minutes, rotating sheets midway to ensure even golden-brown coloration.
- Once cooled, crown each pastry with a heaping tablespoon of blackberry curd, creating a stunning centerpiece.
- Embellish with fresh blackberries and optional powdered sugar dusting for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Choose ripe, sweet blackberries for the most vibrant and intense fruit flavor in your curd.
- Straining the blackberry puree ensures a smooth, seed-free curd with a luxurious texture.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and eggs for a smoother, lump-free filling that blends easily.
- Cold puff pastry creates flakier, more defined layers, so keep it chilled until just before rolling.
- Pricking the pastry centers prevents them from puffing up too much during baking.
- Egg wash helps create a golden, glossy exterior and helps the sugar adhere to the edges.
- Turbinado sugar adds a delightful crunch and subtle caramel-like sweetness to the danish.
- Allow pastries to cool completely to prevent the cream cheese and blackberry curd from melting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Danish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg