Easy Pumpkin Danish

I have but one photo to share with you of my pumpkin danish. Because we ate them all right away!



These are made by whipping up the filling, then cutting frozen puff pastry into quarters for each danish. I'm usually such a purist when it comes to baking, but I love puff pastry, and don't mind buying it! My advice on using the puff pastry is to let it thaw out in your fridge if possible, if it gets too warm, it's difficult to unfold! Also if you can, I recommend drizzling with glaze and dusting with powdered sugar right before you serve them, otherwise it melts into the danish!

Pumpkin Danish
From Sprinkle Bakes

Yields 12 danishes

For the danish
 
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup canned, cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon allspice or pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 sheets (1 1/2  boxes) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

For the glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 - 3 tablespoons milk
Plus extra powdered sugar for dusting

Make the danishes

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth.
3. With the mixer on low, add the egg yolks, pumpkin, vanilla, salt, and spices and mix until just combined. Do not over beat!
4. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board. Roll slightly with floured rolling pin if it needs be a bit thinner for your taste (I didn't bother rolling mine)
5. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. 
6. Place a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin-cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares.
7. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash.
8. Fold 2 opposite corners to the center and use a bit of egg wash to stick them together.
9. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. 
10. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. 
11. Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, until puffed and brown.
    

Make the glaze

1. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and milk until a smooth glaze forms.
   (Note: I seem to remember that 1 tablespoon was enough to make sugar cement, not glaze, and it needed much more milk. Just add little by little until the consistency is right for drizzling, but not too runny)
2. Generously drizzle the glaze over pastries and sprinkle them with additional powdered sugar.