Ingredients
Method
Preheat & Prepare Oven Setup
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Ensuring the oven is thoroughly preheated is vital for puffing up crisp, shatteringly light pastry layers.
Whip the Vanilla Cream Cheese & Toss Blueberries
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and fresh lemon zest with a fork or hand mixer until silky smooth and lump-free (about 60 seconds). In a separate small bowl, gently toss fresh blueberries with 1 tbsp granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch until glistening.
Cut, Score & Assemble Pastry Squares
- Unroll chilled puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface or parchment paper. Cut into 6 equal rectangles. Using a sharp paring knife, gently score a 1/2-inch border around the perimeter of each rectangle without cutting all the way through the dough. Dock the inner rectangle 4 to 5 times with a fork to prevent the center from rising.
- Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the vanilla cream cheese mixture into the center of each scored rectangle, spreading it evenly within the scored borders. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of tossed blueberries directly over the cream cheese layer.
Egg Wash, Sugar & Bake to Golden Perfection
- Brush the outer 1/2-inch pastry borders generously with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle coarse turbinado sugar heavily over the brushed borders for that signature Parisian bakery crunch.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 12 to 14 minutes, until the pastry edges have puffed dramatically high into crisp golden-brown layers and the blueberries are warm, bubbling, and bursting.
Glaze & Serve Warm
- Remove from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. In a small ramekin, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth; drizzle zigzag across the warm pastries (or dust simply with powdered sugar). Serve warm with hot coffee!
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Serving: 1g
Calories: 285cal (14%)
Carbohydrates: 32g (11%)
Protein: 4g (8%)
Fat: 16g (25%)
Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)
Cholesterol: 38mg (13%)
Sodium: 165mg (7%)
Potassium: 85mg (2%)
Fiber: 2g (8%)
Sugar: 14g (28%)
Vitamin A: 340IU (7%)
Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)
Calcium: 42mg (4%)
Iron: 1.2mg (7%)
Keywords: blueberry cream cheese danish, cream cheese danish recipe, easy breakfast pastry, puff pastry blueberry danish, quick blueberry pastry
Notes
Chef Note: Keep your puff pastry chilled right up until you assemble and bake. Cold butter layers hitting a scorching 400°F oven create steam pockets that force the pastry to expand into hundreds of featherlight, buttery flakes!
