Lemon Cream Cheese Danish
This post first appeared over at Real Housemoms where I’m a contributor.
This flaky Lemon Cream Cheese Danish is an easy breakfast or brunch recipe made with puff pastry and filled with a creamy, sweet and tart filling.
Summer is here and that means lemon flavored everything is on the menu. I love it! Lemon is one of my favorite ingredients whether it is in a savory dish or a sweet dish. It adds a brightness to soups like carrot or asparagus, and it gives just the right amount of tartness to a sugary dessert.
When it comes to sweet lemon recipes nothing is better than lemon curd. It is sweet and tart and there are so many delicious recipes you can make with it. I like to make my own but if you are short on time I’ve even started seeing it in stores. It comes in pretty handy for whipping up a quick last minute dessert like our citrus cheesecake.
To make this danish I kept things simple and used a sheet of puff pastry dough. I rolled it out, cut strips in sides, and then spread a layer of sweetened cream cheese and lemon curd down the center of the puff pastry and braided the puff pastry closed. Don’t let the braid intimidate you, it looks complicated but it really isn’t. You just fold up the end piece at the top, then fold a strip of dough in from the left, cross over it with a strip from the right, and continue alternating back and forth all the way down the puff pastry.
When you reach the end fold the end piece in before finishing up the braid. Before putting it in the oven brush the puff pastry with and egg wash then bake it until it is golden brown. While it is baking make your drizzle. It is a simple mixture of milk and confectioner’s sugar. When you danish has finished cooking and cooled pour your drizzle over the danish and then serve.
You’d never believe it was that easy to make just looking at it! This danish is delicious and beautiful and absolutely perfect for spring and summer brunches or make it ahead of time for a lazy morning breakfast this summer. Either way you and whoever you share it with (I won’t tell if you keep it all for yourself) will love it.
Lemon Cream Cheese Danish
Ingredients
Danish
- 1 sheet Frozen puff pastry, , thawed
- 4 oz Cream cheese, , softened
- ¼ c Confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Lemon zest, (whole lemon)
- 4 oz Lemon Curd
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbsp Water
Glaze
- ½ c Confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tbsp Milk
- ½ tsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Mix cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest together until thoroughly combined.
- Unfold thawed puff pastry sheet and roll it out into a rectangle that is ¼ inch thick.
- Cut 1 inch strips down the left and right thirds of the puff pastry, leaving the middle section untouched.
- Add cream cheese mixture to the middle of the puff pastry and then spread the lemon curd over it. Fold the end of the puff pastry up and over, then fold the top strip from the left in towards the middle. Fold a strip from the right inwards to overlap the left strip. Continue alternating left and right down the length of the puff pastry.
- Make a simple egg wash by mixing the egg and water and brush the egg wash over the puff pastry.
- Place in a 400 F oven to bake for for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the pastry bakes make the glaze by mixing the confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest together in a bowl.
- Once the pastry is cooked and has cooled to room temperature drizzle the glaze over and enjoy!
Nutrition
Looking for more lemon recipes? Try these!
Lemon and Thyme Shortbread Cookies
Danishes are amazing. Lemon flavored things are amazing. I’m fairly certain that making this would be dangerous! xD I didn’t know I needed this in my life until now, but boy how do I need it in my life ASAP 😀
I hope you get a chance to make it I loved it!!
Oh wow, I love anything lemon and this looks amazing. Thanks for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop.
Yum! Featuring YOU tomorrow… Thank you for partying with us!
XO
Thanks Desiree!!
Thanks for this great recipe! I made two last night and they turned out beautifully and were really easy to make. I will definitely be making these again soon.
Thanks for letting us know. I’m glad you liked them as much as we did ! 🙂
How much Lemon Curd do you use?
We just eyeballed it and spread a layer of it over the cream cheese. I would say it is about 1/2 cup but feel free to use more or less depending on how lemony you want it!
Im sorry but i would like to ask: Where I can buy frozen pastry?
You can find frozen puff pastry in the frozen food section. It is usually near the frozen fruit and whipped topping or frozen pie section.
I love lemon everything! This would be such a great addition to my next brunch menu!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I am having a crowd for an early morning coffee at my house. Could this be put together the night before and then baked early in the morning?
Yes! You can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator (cover it with plastic wrap) until you are ready to bake.
This looks amazing Kennett be frozen? Are there any other fruit you can put on top besides the lemon zest for a second choice?
Instead of lemon curd you could put any fruit filling such as cherry pie or apple pie filling (found in the baking aisle of the grocery store). You could also use any other curd or even a jam or jelly. I think these are best fresh so I have never tried freezing.