Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish (Print Version)

Flaky pastry with cream cheese and chocolate ganache. Simple and elegant dessert.

# Ingredients:

→ Pastry Base

01 - 2 sheets frozen puff pastry

→ Cream Cheese Filling

02 - 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
03 - ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Egg Wash

05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 teaspoon water

→ Chocolate Ganache

07 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
08 - ¾ cup heavy cream

# Instructions:

01 - Place frozen puff pastry on the counter for 30 minutes to thaw.
02 - Pour chocolate chips into a bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Stir gently until smooth. If chocolate chunks remain, heat in the microwave for 15-second intervals, stirring in between. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours until pudding-like in texture.
03 - In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese using a hand mixer on high for 1 minute. Add in sugar and beat again for 1 minute. Mix in vanilla extract until combined.
04 - Place thawed pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Use your fingers to push the seams together. Use a sharp knife to cut each pastry sheet into thirds along the seams, forming 3 long rectangles. Then, cut each rectangle in half to make 6 smaller rectangles. Repeat with the second sheet to make 12 rectangles total.
05 - Mix the egg and water together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to spread the egg wash around the edges of each rectangle.
06 - Using a sharp knife, score another rectangle inside each pastry rectangle, leaving a ½ inch border. Do not cut all the way through the pastry to allow it to rise around the filling.
07 - Spoon 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling onto the center of each rectangle and spread it evenly within the scored area.
08 - Place one tray of prepared pastries in the fridge and the other in the freezer. Let the tray in the freezer sit for 5 minutes before baking. This helps to chill the butter in the pastry.
09 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Bake one tray of pastries at a time for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the pastries to cool completely before proceeding.
10 - Once the pastries have cooled, spoon the chocolate ganache onto the cream cheese filling, ensuring some cream cheese remains visible around the edges.

# Notes:

01 - Chilling the pastry ensures a flaky texture. Don't skip this step!

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