Theodore Seuss once said, "Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." Sadly, it's a realization you come to appreciate as you get older when the moment has come and gone, and the memory somewhat faded. Imagine if you could appreciate the value of a moment, while in the moment. Ah yes, youth is indeed wasted on the young.

It is a strange feeling being thirty. You have so much still before you and yet you have a good amount behind to reflect on. I often wonder, what my future self will say looking back on where I am today. What will I have learned by then? What will life reveal to me next?

However, one thing I am certain of is the lessons I've learned from the past decades. It's hard for me to type 'past decades' without a small smirk making its way across my face. How sagacious; how audacious. But I earned it.

There's this notion that hangs over our heads, especially as we get older, that we must hold onto our younger selves; to escape gravity and time. I don't want each year to feel like the new twenty. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not hold onto something that is no longer a part of me or aligns with who I am today or who I'll be tomorrow.

I've learned to move forward with grace and the cognizance that I still have so much more to learn about myself and the world around me. It is through faith that I embrace this challenge not with fear, but with anticipation. And for all those memories that have brought me to where I am today, I store them in my heart. Those memories guide me and inspire me in every aspect. I suppose that's where today's recipe comes in...

Some memories stir pain, joy, anger, enlightenment, and peace. Interestingly we call upon each of those at certain times in our life. When we're sad, we try to remember something that makes us happy. When we need strength to stand up against those who have wronged us, we must remind ourselves why. Then there are times when you find yourself reflecting on core memories that periodically make themselves known.

I remember as a little girl one of the most staple traditions in my childhood was Sunday service. I loved the ritual of it all. I'd always have something pretty and new picked out and then we'd all be off for morning mass. As a young girl, it was the place I felt most at peace. The smell of incense, the glittering altar, flowers galore, and afterward we'd go and light candles, which for some reason was my favorite part. Then to complete our Sunday outing, my mother would take us to the bakery.

I always had a sweet tooth, of course now looking back no wonder with those weekly bakery visits! Sundays were usually spent at my uncle's after church, so when we'd go to the bakery, we would pick out something for breakfast and something later for dessert. I had a lot of favorites but cheese danish was surely at the top of that list.

For ages, I've wanted to try my hand at them and I cannot tell you what has taken me so long to do so. Alas, we finally have a recipe for them now on LTG with a few variations which I'll discuss below.

Homemade vs Store Bought Puff Pastry

Lamination is a technique that involves repeatedly folding dough and butter to create thin layers. You see pastries such as croissants, danish pastries, turnovers, and other such variations. You'll see in today's video that while I do use store-bought puff pastry I imitate the process which produces an even thicker pastry shell in the end.

Now let's talk about homemade or store-bought puff pastry. I've done the math, I've worked the time, and here's my honest opinion- homemade isn't worth it. I've made my own pastry dough in the past. It's a lofty investment and an expensive one. You need a lot of butter and a lot of patience. Now, of course, if it's something you want to try and experience yourself, then by all means, give it a go. I think every home cook should have the bragging rights of saying they've made their own pastry dough from scratch.

If you're pressed for time, just want something easy and delicious, or you're not up for making a recipe that may take a couple of days to prepare, then go out, and buy it. Depending on where you live, it's about the same price as a pound of butter.

Here are my two tips for ensuring your danish comes out bakery-style worthy:

Use Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets over the store brand. It's a little more in price but the difference is unexpectedly noticeable. Pepperidge Farm has a much richer buttery flavor and naturally because of this, it achieves a deeper golden brown than the generic brand.
Laminate your puff pastry. Yes, it is already laminated technically, but rolling it out and folding once more really gives the danish extra body to hold the custard and the compote. They will nearly double in size in comparison.
Create a little border for each pastry. To do so, brush the edges of the dough then gently fold them over and pinch to seal. This ensures that the custard and compote stay in the center and won't spill over while baking.

Recipe notes & variations

Blueberry Compote: A compote is made of simple ingredients- fresh or frozen fruit and sugar. Sometimes spices can be added in as well. I just added a splash of vanilla extract and lemon juice then brought it to a simmer until it had thickened into a sauce.
- As you can see I made two different types of danish. I left some plain with just the cheese custard, but then I made a compote with fresh blueberries and topped a little bit of that on some of the pastries before baking. Alternately you can leave all the danish plain and add the compote when serving.
- As far as variations go you can use almost any fruit and certainly any berry. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, stone fruit, kiwis, even apple if you want to make pie filling to top each danish off. The sky is the limit so you can alter the recipe for a more seasonal twist if you like.
Icing Drizzle: If you want the true bakery experience, I recommend an icing drizzle. If you want a lesser fuss, a dusting of powdered sugar also presents nicely.
- Have you ever noticed sometimes homemade icing has a slightly chalky taste? That is directly related to the cornstarch to sugar ratio that the brand uses. I've tried adding vanilla, a little lemon juice, and even cinnamon to disguise that occasional underlying flavor. The best combination I've discovered is vanilla and almond extract. That's the secret to the perfect icing drizzle.
Storing: Line a large airtight container with parchment and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you leave these out, depending on the temperature of the enviornment they're in the icing will melt and you'll be left with a bit of a sticky mess. You can take these out about 30 minutes before serving so they reach room temperature, but you can also heat them up in the toaster oven for a little morning delight if you so fancy.

Blueberry Cheese Danish

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5 from 12 reviews

Author: Living the Gourmet
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 pastries 1x

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Description

Indulge in heavenly delights with our homemade blueberry cheese danish recipe! Delightfully creamy cheese filling meets tangy blueberry compote atop flaky puff pastry. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 package frozen puff pastry
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk)

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

1 egg yolk
8 ounces cream cheese
1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of 1/2 lemon

For the Blueberry Compote:

1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the Icing Drizzle:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

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Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, cook down all the ingredients for the blueberry compote. Stir occasionally. After about 15 minutes, the mixture should be thick and chunky. Transfer to a heat proof bowl to cool. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat all the ingredients for the cream cheese filling until whipped and smooth. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a well-floured surface, roll out the puff pastry dough into an 8x13 inch rectangle approximately. Fold the dough like you would a book. Dust with flour again if you need, then roll out once more into an 8x13 rectangle.
Using a ruler to measure, cut 8 equal squares of dough. Brush the edges of each with the egg wash and fold over to create a border. Pinch to seal. Dollop a tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each square. Then the blueberry compote. Brush the edges again with the remaining egg wash and if desired, sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on the range of your oven. The pastries should have puffed twice their size and are golden brown.
Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the ingredient for the icing. You want the icing to be thin enough to drizzle, but thick enough to set. Think of the consistency of honey. To achieve this, you may need to add more milk. Do so one teaspoon at a time.
Drizzle the danish with the icing and serve!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking

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From their captivating spring flavors to their versatility and charm, these delightful pastries are sure to make anyone feel cherished and loved. I hope they bring you as much joy as they have brought me.

As always if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below and if you've made these be sure to leave a review and tag us on social media!

Blueberry Cheese Danish

Homemade vs Store Bought Puff Pastry

Recipe notes & variations