Easy Peach Cream Cheese Braided Danish Pastry - Natashas Kitchen

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

peaches

🥗Healthier: nectarines

💰Cheaper: canned peaches

Canned peaches are often more affordable and available year-round

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Margarine can be a lower-cost substitute for butter in baking

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Brown sugar can often be cheaper and adds a different flavor profile

Thaw one sheet of puff pastry.

In a large mixing bowl, add 6 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature.

Add 1/4 cup of sugar and mix with a hand mixer for about a minute until smooth.

Add 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Mix until creamy.

Slice peaches from a can into quarter-inch slices after draining the juice.

Line a work surface with parchment paper and dust with flour.

Unfold the thawed puff pastry onto the floured surface and dust the top with flour.

Roll out the puff pastry to make it about 2 inches longer total, keeping it long rather than wide.

Cut off the ends of the pastry with kitchen scissors or a knife.

Spread the cream cheese filling in the middle third of the pastry, leaving an inch of space at the top and bottom.

Line the sliced peaches evenly over the cream cheese filling.

Cut about one-inch strips into the sides of the pastry, leaving about half an inch uncut in the center.

Cut off the end flaps of the pastry.

Fold up the top part of the pastry to keep the filling from sliding out.

Start folding the strips over the filling, alternating from left to right to create a braid.

Fold up the bottom flap and pinch the ends to seal the braid.

Make the egg wash by combining 1 whole egg and 1 tablespoon of water, whisking with a fork.

Brush the egg wash generously over the top of the pastry.

Sprinkle coarse sugar over the top of the pastry.

Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet using the parchment paper.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.

Let the pastry cool to room temperature before glazing.

Mix 1/3 cup of powdered sugar with 1/2 tablespoon of milk to create a thick glaze.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled danish in a crisscross pattern.

Optionally, top with fresh berries.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens