Description
Danish pastry filled with luscious strawberry compote offers a delightful European-inspired breakfast treat. Sweet layers of buttery dough and fruity filling will transport pastry enthusiasts to charming Copenhagen bakeries.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 frozen sheet puff pastry, slightly thawed
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients:
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) strawberries, washed and sliced thin
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
Topping and Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- Zest of half lemon
- 2–3 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Allow puff pastry to gradually soften at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes, ensuring it becomes pliable without becoming too warm.
- Whip cream cheese until smooth and creamy, incorporating sugar and vanilla extract. Prepare strawberries by slicing and tossing with cornstarch and sugar to create a glossy, thickened filling.
- Gently unfold the pastry and cut into precise rectangular shapes, creating a delicate border around each piece by lightly scoring the edges with a knife.
- Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture within the scored border of each pastry rectangle, leaving a clean margin around the edges.
- Artfully arrange strawberry slices over the cream cheese base, distributing them evenly across each pastry.
- Delicately brush the exposed pastry edges with beaten egg, creating a golden sheen that will enhance the final appearance.
- Transfer the prepared pastries to a preheated oven at 400°F, baking for 20-25 minutes until the edges transform into a rich, golden-brown color and the pastry becomes perfectly crisp.
- While pastries cool slightly, craft a smooth icing by blending ingredients until achieving a silky, pourable consistency.
- Elegantly drizzle the icing over the warm danish, allowing it to cascade gently across the surface, creating an appetizing finishing touch.
Notes
- Pastry Perfection: Always ensure puff pastry is completely thawed but still cold for the flakiest, most delicate texture.
- Cream Cheese Smoothness: Use room temperature cream cheese for a silky, lump-free filling that spreads easily.
- Berry Prep Magic: Toss strawberries in cornstarch to prevent excess moisture and keep the pastry crisp during baking.
- Gluten-Free Swap: Replace regular puff pastry with gluten-free puff pastry to make this recipe celiac-friendly without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Danish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg