Simple Cheese Danish

This dessert recipe, Simple Cheese Danish, leans on cream cheese, granulated sugar and grated lemon zest. It makes 6 servings and takes about 29 minutes.

• Yield 6 servings
• Ready in 29 minutes
• Prep 15 minutes
• Cook 14 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese (light or regular, softened to room temperature)
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (thawed (9 1/2 by 9-inch))
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water)

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla. Set aside.
2. Roll the pastry into a 12 by 9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured counter, making sure it doesn't stick to the counter while rolling. Cut the rectangle into six 4 1/2 by 4-inch rectangles (cut it in half the long way and then cut each strip into thirds). Transfer the pastry rectangles to the baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Using the tip of a paring knife, score a 1/2-inch border around the edge of each pastry, then brush the borders with the egg wash (no fear - if you don't have a pastry brush, using your fingers works just as well!). Prick the pastry with a fork every 1 inch or so within the border (see the picture below for a visual).
3. Bake the pastries until fully puffed and golden about 12-14 minutes (watching carefully so they don't overbrown). Serve the pastries warm or at room temperature.

Let the center settle before you cut it, or the slices will slump.