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Easy Flaky Peach Cream Cheese Danish Braid

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A quick and impressive breakfast treat featuring flaky puff pastry braided around a creamy vanilla-lemon cream cheese filling and fresh peach slices. Perfect for brunch or potlucks, this Danish braid is easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed (preferably Pepperidge Farm)
  • 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened (full-fat recommended)
  • 3 medium fresh peaches, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for dusting and rolling)
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • Powdered sugar (optional, for dusting or glaze)
  • 1 tbsp milk or cream (optional, for glaze consistency)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
  3. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and roll out each puff pastry sheet into a rectangle about 12 x 9 inches (30 x 23 cm). Trim edges if needed.
  4. Spread the cream cheese filling in a roughly 3 x 7-inch (7.5 x 18 cm) strip down the center of each pastry sheet, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) free on each side.
  5. Arrange the peeled and thinly sliced peaches in a single overlapping layer over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup (65 g) sugar.
  6. Cut diagonal strips about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide along both sides of the pastry, from top to bottom of the filling strip.
  7. Braid the pastry strips over the filling, alternating sides. Tuck ends underneath to seal and gently press edges if needed.
  8. Brush the entire braid with beaten egg using a pastry brush for a golden finish.
  9. Bake on the prepared baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until pastry is puffed, golden brown, and peaches are bubbling. Tent with foil if edges brown too quickly.
  10. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Optionally dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with a glaze made from powdered sugar and milk.

Notes

Keep cream cheese soft for easy spreading. Don’t overload peaches to avoid soggy pastry. Use sharp cuts for neat braiding. Chill pastry if it gets too warm. Tent with foil if browning too fast. Optional cinnamon with sugar on peaches adds warm spice. Can substitute frozen peaches if fresh unavailable. For dairy-free, use plant-based cream cheese and check puff pastry labels. Gluten-free puff pastry can be used for gluten-sensitive diets.

Nutrition

Keywords: peach danish, cream cheese pastry, breakfast braid, puff pastry dessert, easy brunch recipe, flaky pastry, peach dessert

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/easy-flaky-peach-cream-cheese-danish-braid-recipe-for-perfect-breakfast/