Looking for an easy and delicious brunch recipe? These Cherries & Cream Danishes are made with store-bought flaky puff pastry, a zesty mascarpone cream and topped with cherry pie filling. Not only are these delicious but because it uses store-bought ingredients it’s fast. With chilling and bake time these come together in under 30 minutes. They’re so easy to make and perfect for breakfast at home or brunch with friends.
If you’d prefer you can make your own puff pastry and cherry pie filling. I typically use Pepperidge Farms puff pastry and it turns out perfectly flaky every time. After brushing with the egg wash I sprinkle the puff with course sugar, like a turbinado. You can also use normal granulated as well!
When baking you want to make sure you’re using quality pans and parchment paper to make for an easy cleanup. The egg wash and sugar can make a mess on the pan so this will help make clean up as easy as pie 🙂
For the pie filling I used a can of organic cherry pie filling that you can find in your local grocery store’s baking aisle. I will say if you’d looking for that bright red color you’ll want the classic filling. Organic typically doesn’t contain the red dye so it’s more of a dull, burgundy red.
As far as baking pans go, quality pans don’t have to be expensive! My favorite are USA Pan Bakeware because they’re heavy and give a really even bake.
These danishes are the perfect pairing with a cup of coffee and how cute are the hearts? You can shape them however you’d like, including just making them into rectangles. If you end up trying the recipe please let a rating and comment below!
Cherries & Cream Danishes
Ingredients
For the puff pastry:
- 2 ready to bake puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- ¼ cup course sugar
For the cream:
- ½ cup heavy cream cold
- ½ cup mascarpone
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- zest of half a lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
For the topping:
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
For the puff pastry:
- First you will thaw the puff pastry by leaving it on the counter for 20-30 minutes. When you go to use it you should be able to easily unfold it.
- Preheat the oven to 400° and use a large heart shaped cookie cutter (about 3-4 inches) to cut out 4 hearts. Use a smaller heart, or knife, to score another heart but don’t cut all the way through. This way you can push down on it later and pipe the filling inside.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place each heart about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet. Whisk together the egg and milk and brush onto each pastry. Sprinkle on course sugar and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
For the cream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat cold whipping cream and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Add in the mascarpone, lemon zest, vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth.
For assembly:
- Use a knife to cut around the heart outline and gently press it down. Pipe or spoon the filling into the heart shape. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of cherry pie filling and dust with powdered sugar. Serve!
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