Apple Cheese Danish

Packaged puff pastry encases a sweet cheese filling topped with fresh apples in these impressive breakfast treats.

• Preparation Time: 55 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 279 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (24 ounce) carton cottage cheese
• 3 tablespoons white sugar for decoration
• 3 apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 0.5 cup white sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

Place the cottage cheese in a strainer lined with cheesecloth or heavy-duty paper towels. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

Place apples in a bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Step 4

Combine the cream cheese, drained cottage cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer, and mix 1 to 2 minutes on high speed, until almost smooth.

Step 5

Cut each of the puff pastry sheets into 9 pieces; you should have 18 total. Roll the pieces out, one at a time, to make 5 x 5-inch squares. To ensure the pastries puff up, avoid using too much pressure or rolling over the edges of the dough.

Step 6

Place a square in front of you so that it looks like a diamond. Spoon a generous amount of cheese filling down the middle of each square, leaving 1/4 inch of room at the top and bottom edges. Fan out 4-5 slices of apple down the center of each cheese-filled square. Bring the left and right corners together to meet in the center and pinch to seal.

Step 7

Transfer the Danish to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pastries. Sprinkle sugar over each bundle and bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes.