Fresh Fig and Ginger Cream Cheese Danish
One Dozen Danish
1 box Pillsbury Puff Pastry Sheets (two sheets), defrosted about 20 minutes, but still cold
6 fresh figs
Ginger cream cheese filling
Egg wash – one large egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water
Sanding sugar
Ginger cream cheese filling:
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp fresh ginger (peeled)
8 ounces whole-fat cream cheese, cut into 1” squares
1 large egg
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla paste
1) Make the ginger cream cheese filling: In a food processor, add the sugar and ginger. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the cream cheese, egg, salt and vanilla paste. Process until smooth, scraping the sides as necessary. Scrape into a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
2) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line a full baking sheet with parchment paper.
3) Slice the stems off the figs and cut the figs in half vertically. Set aside.
4) Roll the first sheet of puff pastry into a rectangle 9” x 15”. Cut in half (9” by 7 ½”). Score each half into three rectangles. Using a Pastry Lattice Roller, lattice the outer half of each rectangle. Brush the solid half with a light coat of egg wash. Place one Tbsp of the filling in the center and top with a fig half (cut side up). Fold the lattice top over and use your finger to seal the edges. Place the Danish on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.
5) Lightly brush the top of the Danish with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 6-8 minutes until golden brown and the fig juice starts to bubble. Cool on the pan for five minutes and then remove the Danish to a wire rack to cool another ten minutes before serving. The cream cheese filling will be hot!
