Delicious Danish Pastries in 3 flavors

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil offers a dairy-free option while margarine can be more economical.

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: ricotta cheese

💰Cheaper: mascarpone

Ricotta is lower in fat and can provide a lighter texture.

fruit preserves

🥗Healthier: fresh fruit

💰Cheaper: canned fruit

Fresh fruit reduces sugar content while canned fruit is often less expensive.

powdered sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: granulated sugar

Coconut sugar is less processed and offers a lower glycemic index.

Wash the cherries and place them onto a cutting board.

Remove the pit from each cherry using a method of your choice: break in half, use a straw, or a cherry pitter gadget.

Cut each cherry in half to ensure the pit is removed completely.

Place the pitted cherries into a small saucepan.

Add water, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch to the cherries in the saucepan.

Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat and stir until combined.

Heat until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for another 10 minutes until cherries are soft.

Remove from heat and crush the cherries with a fork if smaller chunks are desired.

Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until cold.

Wash the strawberries and dry them.

Cut off the green part of the strawberries and slice them.

Add the sliced strawberries into a small saucepan.

Add sugar, salt, and cornstarch to the strawberries in the saucepan.

Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat and stir to combine.

Heat until the mixture boils and thickens, stirring occasionally until strawberries soften.

Remove from heat and pour into an airtight container; refrigerate for at least 2 hours until cold.

In a medium bowl, add softened cream cheese and mascarpone (or ricotta/sour cream for plain cheese danish).

Add sugar and egg yolk to the bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

Add flour, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt; mix until well combined.

Add chopped dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate (or mini chocolate chips) and mix until combined.

Remove danish dough from the fridge and cut it in half, keeping one half wrapped in plastic wrap.

Lightly flour the work surface and the top of the dough.

Roll out the dough until about a quarter inch thick.

Cut the dough into 2 to 3 inch squares or rectangles.

Place the squares onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper, leaving about half an inch of space between each one.

Cover the pastries with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours until slightly puffed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add a small scoop of each filling onto the top of each pastry square, leaving about a quarter inch of space around the sides.

Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

If baking two pans at once, rotate the pans and switch racks halfway through baking for even cooking.

Remove pastries from the oven and let them cool.

To make a glaze, mix powdered sugar with enough milk to create a smooth, somewhat runny glaze, optionally adding vanilla extract for flavor.

Once cooled, drizzle the glaze over the pastries and let it set for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens