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Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish Recipe

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4.9 from 64 reviews

Indulge in flaky, buttery puff pastry filled with a creamy sweetened cream cheese mixture and topped with rich chocolate ganache. This Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish recipe combines the luxurious textures of puff pastry with a smooth, velvety filling and luscious chocolate topping, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a special dessert treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Puff Pastry

  • 2 Frozen puff pastry sheets

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1/3 cup White granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup Heavy cream

Egg Wash

  • 1 Large egg
  • 1 tsp Water

Instructions

  1. Thaw Puff Pastry: Place the frozen puff pastry sheets on the counter and allow them to thaw for 30 minutes until pliable but still cool.
  2. Prepare Chocolate Ganache: Pour 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into a bowl. Heat 3/4 cup of heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 1 minute 30 seconds.
  3. Mix Ganache: Stir the chocolate and cream gently until smooth. If lumps remain, microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring well between each, until the mixture is fully smooth. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 2 hours until it thickens to a pudding-like texture.
  4. Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a small bowl, beat the 8 oz room temperature cream cheese on high speed with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup white sugar and beat for another minute. Mix in 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract until combined.
  5. Prepare Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, place thawed puff pastry sheets. Press the seams together with your fingers. Using a sharp knife, cut each sheet into thirds lengthwise, then cut each rectangle in half crosswise, yielding 6 rectangles per sheet and 12 total.
  6. Apply Egg Wash: Mix 1 large egg with 1 teaspoon water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of each pastry rectangle with the egg wash to help seals and promote browning.
  7. Preheat Oven and Line Sheets: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Cut Inner Rectangle: Place rectangles on the prepared baking sheets (6 per sheet). Carefully cut a rectangle inside each pastry piece about 1/2 inch from the edge, not cutting all the way through to allow the edges to puff up around the filling.
  9. Fill Pastries: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling onto the center of each pastry, spreading the filling inside the uncut inner rectangle to form a ‘box’ of filling.
  10. Chill Pastries: Place one baking sheet in the refrigerator and the other in the freezer. Let the sheet in the freezer chill for 5 minutes to keep the butter cold and promote puffing during baking.
  11. Bake: Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before proceeding with the next sheet.
  12. Finish with Chocolate Ganache: Once the pastries are cooled, use a spoon to dollop the chocolate ganache over the cream cheese filling, leaving some cream cheese visible around the edges to highlight the layers.

Notes

  • Make sure cream cheese is at room temperature for easy beating and smooth filling.
  • Do not overheat the cream when making ganache to prevent burning or seizing.
  • Keep the butter layers cold in the pastry by chilling before baking to achieve maximum puff.
  • The ganache thickens perfectly after resting for 2 hours; patience ensures a luscious topping.
  • Use a sharp knife for clean cuts without tearing the puff pastry.

Keywords: Chocolate Danish, Cream Cheese Danish, Puff Pastry Dessert, Chocolate Ganache, Breakfast Pastry

Find it online: https://cookcrisis.com/chocolate-cream-cheese-danish-recipe/