Skip the coffee shop danish and make your own fresh and crispy pastries at home! These are filled with a sweetbmascarpone cream and strawberry jam!
This post has been sitting in my drafts folder since fall of last year! I had planned to post it closer to Christmas because the inspiration grew from Starbucks sugar plum cheese Danish. I think it's actually perfect for anytime of the year along with your favorite latte!
What kind of pastry is used for this recipe?
Original Danish style pastry is made up of thin laminated layers of buttery pastry and can be tedious to make from scratch. That's why using good quality store bought puff pastry makes a great substitute. They're both very similar and the end results are a flaky buttery pastry with a gooey jelly and cheese filling, who doesn't want that for breakfast?
Making the filling for cheese Danish
Usually cream cheese is used for a cheese Danish recipe like this but I was looking for something even more decadent. I used mascarpone cheese because the butterfat content is higher which results in a creamier texture. Cream cheese has 55% butterfat and mascarpone tops out about 75-80% butterfat.
The mascarpone is mixed with powdered sugar and vanilla, and a square of pastry is placed into a spot on a regular muffin pan. Drop some of the cheese mixture onto the pastry, top with your favorite strawberry jelly and bake in a hot oven until the pastry rises and puffs the way it wants to, creating those chewy, sweet edges.
Tips for making this easy cheese Danish recipe
- Your puff pastry should be defrosted but still cold. I like to leave mine in the fridge overnight and it's perfect for working with the next day. Try not to handle it too much as you're working.
- If you can't find mascarpone cheese, try crème fraiche or as a last resort, cream cheese could be substituted. Look for mascarpone in the cheese department of your grocery store.
- Grease the muffin pan really well. I like to use melted butter but a non stick spray would also work.
- Once the pastries are baked, gently run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen them from the pan. Let them sit for 10 minutes, the filling will become thicker as it cools.
- If you feel like being extra fancy, dust with powdered sugar before serving or glaze with warm apricot jelly on top.
