Christmas Sugar Plum Cheese Danish

Christmas Sugar Plum Cheese Danish

These small Danishes bake in a muffin tin, where squares of puff pastry rise into open cups around a sweetened cream cheese filling. Cinnamon-spiced plum preserves sit in the center, leaving the pale cheese and flaky, lightly golden corners visible.

The preserves go in after the pastry starts to set, which helps keep the fruit from running over the edges. Keep the pastry cold while shaping it, then judge doneness by its puffed, golden edges rather than the clock alone.

Ingredients for Christmas Sugar Plum Cheese Danish

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold (500g)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plum preserves or jam (160g)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting

Makes 18 small pastries. A standard 12-cup muffin tin will require two batches.

How to Make Christmas Sugar Plum Cheese Danish

1. Preheat and prepare: Fully preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Lightly grease the muffin-tin wells. Keep the thawed pastry refrigerated until ready to cut.
2. Mix the fillings: Beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until mostly smooth and spreadable. In a separate bowl, stir the cinnamon into the plum preserves.
3. Shape the cups: Cut the cold pastry into roughly 3-inch squares, adjusting for the size of the sheets and muffin wells. Gently press one square into each well without stretching it thin, leaving the corners raised. If the pastry becomes soft or limp, refrigerate it briefly before baking.
4. Add the cheese filling: Spoon a small amount into each cup, keeping it below the raised corners. Brush the exposed pastry tops lightly with egg wash, avoiding the cut sides and any pooling in the wells.
5. Begin baking: Bake uncovered for about 9 to 10 minutes, until the pastry corners begin to puff and set.
6. Add the plum preserves: Carefully spoon a modest amount into the center of each cup, leaving some cream cheese visible. Bake for about 4 to 6 minutes more. Start checking at 12 minutes total: the pastry should be puffed and lightly golden, with a set, layered base rather than a pale, doughy one. The cheese should be hot and set around the edges, and the preserves glossy. Rotate the tin near the end if it browns unevenly.
7. Cool and finish: Let the pastries rest in the tin for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a rack. Let the centers cool until warm rather than scorching. Dust lightly with powdered sugar shortly before serving.

Keep the remaining pastry cold while the first batch bakes. Puff pastry brands, muffin tins, and ovens can brown at different rates, so use the pastry’s color and texture to decide when each batch is done.

How to Keep the Pastry Cups Flaky

Cold pastry and a fully preheated oven help the layers puff. The pastry should bend enough to fit the wells but still feel cool as you work. Keep the egg wash on the exposed top surfaces; if it runs down the cut sides, it can seal the layers and limit their rise.

Why Add the Plum Preserves Partway Through?

Starting the bake with just the pastry and cream cheese gives the cups time to set before the preserves warm and flow. Adding the fruit later can reduce run-off, though a thin jam may still leak. Use a small spoonful and keep it centered in each cup.

How to Store and Reheat the Pastries

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and use within 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until warmed through and the pastry perks up. A brief microwave warm-up works, but it may soften the pastry.

The cream cheese filling can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Assemble the cups close to baking so the filling does not soften the pastry.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per pastry, based on 18 pastries: 235 calories, 3g protein, 16g fat, and 21g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 450 calories, 6g protein, 31g fat, and 40g carbohydrates. Values will vary with the puff pastry and preserves used.