Cream Cheese And Jam Danish Recipe

This Cream Cheese and Jam Danish takes some work to prepare the dough, but is very tasty.

Ingredients

The Dough
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoons warm water
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoons warm whole milk
1 egg
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons soft unsalted butter
1 egg
1 Tablespoon teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoons table salt
The Butter Layer
3/4 cups cold unsalted butter
Egg wash
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon milk
Filler
1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup jam of your choice

Directions

Put the flour, salt, sugar, 3 Tablespoons butter and the yeast in a large mixing bowl.

Using a whisk, mix the soft butter and egg into the warm milk and the warm water, then, using a wooden spoon, slowly add the wet mixture into the dry flour mixture working into a pliable dough. You will need to use your hands to form it into a nice ball. Cover and put the dough in a warm place, until it has nearly doubled in size.

Place the dough on a floured surface and knead well until it feels elastic. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Return the chilled dough to your floured work surface and roll it into a rectangular shape, around 14 inches X 9 inches.

Separate the remaining butter into 3 portions and then using one third of the butter, dot the butter over the upper two thirds of the rolled dough, keeping a 1/2" border around the edges. Fold the dough into three , bringing up the bottom unbuttered part of the dough, and then folding the top buttered part of the dough over. Give the dough a half turn so that the open edges are now top and bottom and seal the edges with your rolling pin. Then take your rolling pin and press the dough at intervals to seal the dough and create air pockets. Roll out into a rectangle again, the same size, and then continue as before, two more times until your butter is used up. It is important to return the rolled dough to the fridge in between each rolling to ensure the butter does not melt and the dough does not become too sticky. After the last rolling when all the butter is used, return the dough to the refrigerator to chill for a further 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and roll carefully into a big rectangle 14 inches x 9 inches. With a sharp knife or pastry scraper, make 2 1/2 -inch-deep cuts at 3/4 inch intervals on long sides of pastry. Spread cream cheese and jam down center 4 inches of pastry. Crisscross strips over filling, alternating sides and bringing strips all the way across filling. Brush with the egg wash. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and puffy.