Homemade Cream Cheese Danish (from scratch) 

Day One

Prepare the Danish Butter

• Stir the room temperature butter and flour together in a medium-sized bowl until well mixed. Spread the butter mixture onto one half of a 12x16 piece of parchment paper (this half-sheet parchment works perfectly).
  
• Fold the parchment paper over the butter mixture, then use a rolling pin to flatten the butter between the parchment sheets. Wrap and place the butter-filled parchment on a flat place in the freezer until very firm, about 1-2 hours (or overnight).
  

Make the Danish Dough

• Whisk the flour and instant yeast together. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, mix the egg, salt, almond extract, and sugar together. Pour one cup of very hot water over the ingredients in the bowl, then top with the flour/ yeast mixture.
  
• Stir with a sturdy spatula until the dough is uniform, stretchy, and sticky, about 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes at room temperature until it is no longer warm.
  

Roll Out the Danish Dough

• Scrape the cooled danish dough on top of a counter generously dusted with flour. Use your fingers to scrape out any stuck to the bowl and add it to the dough. Avoid kneading the dough or turning it into a ball--this will overwork the pastry dough. We want to roll it out with very little shaping of the dough and only sprinkle additional flour as necessary to avoid sticking. Lightly press the dough into a rectangular shape before rolling.
  
• Roll the dough into a 12x18 rectangle. Remove the firm butter from the freezer and discard the parchment paper. Place the butter on one half of the rolled-out dough. Brush the edges of the pastry dough with water using a pastry brush to help the dough stick to itself when folding. Then fold one half of the danish dough over the butter.
  
• Turn the dough 90 degrees, then roll out the folded dough into an approximate 10x16 inch rectangle. Brush the edges with water. Fold the dough into thirds like a tri-fold brochure. (Watch the recipe video).
  
• Repeat the previous step three more times. You have now added many buttery layers to your danish pastry dough, which will make it light, airy, flaky, and fluffy.
  
• Place the danish dough into a baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and very loosely wrap the pan in plastic wrap. Place this in the refrigerator to rise slowly overnight.
  

Prepare the danish fillings

• Blend the cream cheese, almond extract, and sugar together with a stand mixer or handheld mixer until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until using.
  
• If you would like fruit filling in addition to the cream cheese filling, prepare your fruit compote fillings and keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.
  

Day 2

Form the Danish Pastries

• Pull the risen dough from the fridge. Cut it in half so you have two equal halves. On a floured surface, roll each half into a 14-inch circle (only add flour as needed).
  
• Cut each circle into 8 triangles (a pizza cutter works well for this). Top the large end of each triangle with either 2 slightly heaping Tablespoons of cream cheese filling or 1 heaping Tablespoon Cream Cheese filling plus 1 heaping Tablespoon of fruit filling.
  
• Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of each triangle with water. Roll up each danish like a croissant with the cream cheese filling on the inside, then place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan, at least 2 inches apart.
• Brush each danish lightly with the beaten egg wash, then sprinkle them with sugar.
  
• Allow the danishes to rise for one hour or until double in size. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the danishes are puffed up, lightly golden, and flaky. Make sure they are baked all the way through.
• While the danishes are baking, make the simple glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and water together until smooth. Drizzle the warm danishes with the simple glaze. Enjoy!