Raspberry Cream Cheese Braided Pastry

Raspberry Cream Cheese Braided Pastry

This breakfast pastry reminds me of a childhood favorite: Entenmann's Cheese Danish Twist. It has the pastry, creamy cheese, and icing on top. This is a great basic recipe where you can change it up to make it your own: just cheese, another fruit, almonds (with almond extract instead of vanilla), chocolate, etc! So many variety choices and yet all of them are easy to make a day ahead and bake for a crowd. Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 puff pastry sheet (usually come 2 per box in the frozen section)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, x2
• 2 tablespoons + 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• egg wash (1 egg whisked with a splash of water) 
• 4 ounces raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons warm water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoons milk, water or cream

1. Directions: Preheat oven to 415 degrees
2. Lay frozen puff pastry sheet on a clean work surface and allow to thaw for 20 minutes.
3. Make raspberry sauce: Combine raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Cook for about 4 minutes until the berries are brown down.  Mix the cornstarch and water. Add and simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens up.  Try to cool before using, (but I just put it in the fridge until I needed it again.) 
4. Make sweetened cream cheese: mix softened cream cheese, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar until smooth 
5. Unfold the puff pastry pressing down any splits to seal (I rolled it out slightly.) (I would also go ahead and do all of this on the parchment paper you'll bake it on.) 
6. Using a sharp paring knife, start making diagonal cuts in puff pastry along each outside of the 3rd, one inch apart. (you'll throw out the triangle ends from the four corners. 
7. Layer the cream cheese mixture, topped with the raspberry sauce.  
   
   
   
   
8. Starting at the top, pull the first flap from the top and lay over raspberry. Then fold over from the right side, alternating. You'll weave until you've reached the bottom of the pastry.
   
9. Brush braided pastry with the egg wash. 
10. Bake at 415 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until it's golden brown. 
    
11. While pastry rests for 10 minutes, make glaze.  Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Whisk until smooth. 
12. Once pastry is cool, pour glaze over pastry.  Serve warm.

Original recipe, or if you want to make your own pastry instead of using puff pastry: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/10/30/raspberry-danish-braid/