Apple Cheese Danish Recipes

APPLE CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Place the cottage cheese in a strainer lined with cheesecloth or heavy-duty paper towels. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place apples in a bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Combine the cream cheese, drained cottage cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer, and mix 1 to 2 minutes on high speed, until almost smooth.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut each of the puff pastry sheets into 9 pieces; you should have 18 total. Roll the pieces out, one at a time, to make 5 x 5-inch squares. To ensure the pastries puff up, avoid using too much pressure or rolling over the edges of the dough.
• Place a square in front of you so that it looks like a diamond. Spoon a generous amount of cheese filling down the middle of each square, leaving 1/4 inch of room at the top and bottom edges. Fan out 4-5 slices of apple down the center of each cheese-filled square. Bring the left and right corners together to meet in the center and pinch to seal.
• Transfer the Danish to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pastries. Sprinkle sugar over each bundle and bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

APPLE-CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, unfold one pastry sheet and roll into a 15x10-inch rectangle. Transfer to the prepared baking pan, pressing dough to edges of pan. Bake in the preheated oven about 12 minutes or until golden brown (pastry will puff and shrink from sides of pan). Cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, cook apples in hot butter over medium heat about 8 minutes or just until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the nutmeg. Sprinkle over apples. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 2 minutes more; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla just until combined. Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over baked pastry to within 1 inch of the edges. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese mixture.
• On a lightly floured surface, unfold the remaining pastry sheet and roll into about a 13x9-inch rectangle (make sure pastry is large enough to completely cover apple mixture). Place on top of apple mixture. Lightly press edges of top pastry to edges of bottom pastry. Lightly brush pastry with milk. Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. In a small bowl, combine coarse sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over pastry.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until pastry is slightly puffed and golden brown. Cool on wire rack about 45 minutes. Serve slightly warm. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Make-Ahead Tip:
• Prepare the apple mixture as directed in Step 2. Cool and transfer to an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Test Kitchen Tip:
• To save time, prepare as directed, except substitute one 21-ounce can of your favorite fruit pie filling for the apples, butter, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the nutmeg; omit Step 2.

APPLE CREAM CHEESE DANISHES

Steps:

• Combine chopped apples, brown sugar, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until apples soften and mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and cardamom. Allow to cool.
• Stir together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until well-combined. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Place sheets of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll sheets out so that the length of the sheets is 10-12 inches long. (If the sheets have cracks in them, sprinkle cracks with a bit of water. Then roll out the sheets of puff pastry with a rolling pin to even out the cracks.) Cut 6 strips lengthwise per sheet. Take each strip and gently twist. Take each twist and coil it into a spiral. Tuck the end piece under the spiral. Press down the center of the pastry leaving about 1/4 inch all around on the sides.
• Score the pressed down center with a knife. Poke a few holes in the center with fork or knife. This will keep the center from rising too much and making the filling fall out. Place on prepared baking sheet.
• Fill each center with about 1 Tablespoon of cream cheese mixture. Top with a heaping Tablespoon of apple pie filling.
• Whisk together egg and water. Brush edges of danishes with egg wash.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly.
• While danishes are cooling, whisk together confectioner's sugar and half and half for optional glaze. Drizzle over slightly cooled danishes.
• Allow glaze to set, and serve.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for optimal freshness. Remove, and allow to come to room temperature before serving.

APPLE DANISH WITH CRESCENT ROLL DOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together; set aside.
• Unroll one can of crescent roll dough and pat together on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Beat cream cheese, white sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread over the dough. Layer the apple filling over the cream cheese layer. Top with second package of crescent roll dough, patting the seams together. Drizzle butter on top and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.

APPLE CHEESE DANISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
• Separate biscuits and flatten each on baking stone.
• Peel, core and slice apple. Chop apple into smaller pieces.
• Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over biscuits.
• Top with chopped apples; sprinkle with chopped pecans.
• Drizzle topping over pecans. Bake 15 minutes or until biscuits are browned.