Lemon Cream Cheese Pastry

Puff pastry danish with cream cheese and lemon curd on a black rack.

5 from 1 vote

Irresistible Lemon Cream Cheese Pastry - a heavenly combination of tangy lemon and creamy cheese on a flaky, buttery, puff pastry crust.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 399kcal

Author: Keri

Ingredients

1 box 17.3 ounces Puff Pastry 2 sheets, thawed
8 ounces Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
¼ cup Sugar
1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract divided
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Water
8 ounces Lemon Curd
⅓ cup Powdered Sugar
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract.
Lay the two sheets of thawed puff pastry out flat on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut each sheet into 6 rectangles, making 12 total rectangles.
Place the pastries onto one large or two medium baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
Use a paring knife to create a ½ inch border around each of the pastries. Only cut about half-way into the dough. This helps the sides puff up while baking.
Then, use a fork to prick several holes into the center of the dough. This helps to keep the center from rising too much while baking.
Scoop the cream cheese mixture onto the pastries and spread out evenly over the center area, but not onto the ½-inch border.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash onto the ½ inch border of each pastry.
Bake the pastries at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and transfer the pastries to a wire cooling rack.
While the pastries are still warm, add a dollop of lemon curd to the center of each pastry and spread out just enough to cover the cream cheese layer. Cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Drizzle the frosting over the cooled pastries.

Notes

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.

In place of lemon curd, use your favorite jam or pie filling for a variety of flavors.

If making for a party or gathering, simply cut the puff pastry sheets into smaller pieces and adjust the amount of filling used on each pastry. Or, try a cookie cutter to make a favorite shape. Keep an eye on them when baking since they may not take as much time.

Nutrition