With Thanksgiving now behind us, it’s time to take full advantage of the best this holiday has to offer…the leftovers! I have the best memories of raiding the fridge the morning after the big day. All of the stress and commotion have died down, and somehow the food tastes just a little better when you sneak a bite or two straight out of the container as you hover over an open fridge (am I right?).
If you’ve got a houseful of lingering guests, or, heck, if you’re just looking for a little indulgence yourself, this recipe is a great way to use up any of your leftover cranberry sauce. With the use of ready-made puff pastry dough, these Cranberry Cheese Danishes are ready in no time.
Puff pastry is one of my favorite tools of trickery in the kitchen. For some reason, whenever anything is made with puff pastry, people think it’s pretty fancy and complicated. The reality is, though, the frozen packages of dough couldn’t be easier to use. The most difficult part is remembering to take it out of the freezer far enough in advance so that it thaws.
The cranberry is combined with cream cheese and powdered sugar, and the result is tart and luscious. I’m always a huge fan of homemade cranberry sauce, but no judging here if you opt to bust a can out of the cupboard.
After toasting up in the oven, you’ll see the edges pop up to create a nice border around the cheese…hence the “puff” of puff pastry.
To finish off, a fancy little drizzle of glaze is literally the icing on top. I like to use a pastry bag, squeeze bottle, or ziploc bag with the corner snipped off to create a pretty zig zag effect, but a spoon would certainly work as well.
Cranberry Cheese Danish
You’ll need:
- 1 package frozen puff pastry dough (thaw overnight in the refrigerator)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cranberry sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg, plus 1 tablespoon water
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon, plus one teaspoon, water
To prepare:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Remove one sheet of puff pastry from the package, and place on a lightly floured surface. Lightly roll out the puff pastry with a rolling pin. Cut the puff pastry in half lengthwise, then into thirds widthwise, creating six rectangles.
- Using a small paring knife, score a rectangle about 1/3 of on inch within the edges of each pastry rectangle. Then prick the inside of the scored rectangle about a dozen times with the tines of a fork.
- Thoroughly mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cranberry, and vanilla.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture within the perimeter of each rectangle.
- In a bowl, beat the egg and water together. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash around the edges of each pastry rectangle.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
- While the pastries are baking, prepare the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar and water.
- When golden brown, remove the pastries from the oven and move to a rack to cool.
- With a pastry bag (or plastic bag with one corner snipped off) drizzle the glaze over the top each pastry.
Makes 6
Melissa is the blogger behind Serving Seconds, a food blog dedicated to the yummy and the beautiful. When she’s not in the kitchen, you can find her wandering the aisles of the craft store, instagramming at the dinner table, or exploring every foodie nook she can find in her beloved city of San Francisco. She’s got a penchant for anything mini, modernized comfort food, and stellar hospitality. In her “Setting the Table” series, Melissa will share unique and creative ways to add a little fun to your table and make your guests feel extra special. From a weeknight dinner to a girls’ night in, there’s always a reason for theme parties, signature cocktails, and gathering with friends.
Blog: www.ServingSeconds.com
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