Description
This decadent Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish recipe combines flaky, buttery puff pastry with a smooth cream cheese filling and a rich chocolate ganache topping. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a special dessert, these pastries are easy to prepare with frozen puff pastry sheets and can be baked to golden perfection in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Danish Pastry
- 2 Frozen puff pastry sheets
- 1 Large egg
- 1 tsp Water
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup White granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup Heavy cream
Instructions
- Thaw Pastry: Place the frozen puff pastry sheets on the counter for 30 minutes to thaw properly before working with them.
- Make Chocolate Ganache: Pour the semi-sweet chocolate chips into a bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir gently until smooth. If there are any solid chocolate chunks, warm the mixture in 15-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each until fully melted. Allow ganache to sit at room temperature for 2 hours until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese using a hand mixer on high for 1 minute until smooth. Add sugar and beat for another minute. Mix in vanilla extract until well combined.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, unfold and gently press the seams of the thawed puff pastry sheets together. Use a sharp knife to cut each sheet into thirds along seams, then cut each third in half to create six rectangles per sheet (12 rectangles total).
- Apply Egg Wash: Whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, spread the egg wash around the edges of each pastry rectangle.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Score Pastry for Puffing: Place pastry rectangles on the prepared cookie sheets, six per sheet. Using a sharp knife, score a smaller rectangle inside each pastry piece leaving a ½ inch border, being careful not to cut all the way through. This allows the edges to puff up around the filling.
- Add Filling: Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling into the center of each pastry rectangle and spread within the scored area.
- Chill Before Baking: Place one cookie sheet in the refrigerator and the other in the freezer. Let the sheet in the freezer sit for 5 minutes to make the puff pastry’s butter layer cold again, which helps it puff during baking.
- Bake Pastries: Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed. Remove from oven and let cool completely before proceeding to the next batch.
- Top with Chocolate Ganache: Once pastries have cooled, spoon the thickened chocolate ganache on top of the cream cheese filling, leaving some cream cheese visible around the edges for contrast and presentation.
Notes
- Allow cream cheese and heavy cream to come to room temperature for smoother mixing and ganache preparation.
- Do not fully cut through the inner rectangle of the pastry—scoring just the surface is enough to separate the puffed edges.
- If ganache becomes too thick after chilling, gently warm it up to soften before using.
- Store finished pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for best freshness.
- For an added touch, sprinkle powdered sugar over the cooled danish before serving.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
