Easy Cream Cheese Apricot Danish

Normally I would just refer you to my other blog for the recipe, however, this one is a lot different.  You don't need to put an egg wash on it, you don't put the turbinado sugar on it or it will melt away in the steam phase.  You bake it a lot longer than you do in the regular oven because you steam it first - you also don't have to wait for the oven to preheat.  And just so you know, it turns out much better in the steam oven then it does the regular oven.  Don't believe me?  Try one of the puffed pastry sheets in the steam oven and the other in the regular oven.  No comparison.  The one in the steam oven is shinier and not in an egg washy kind of way.  It is flaker, moister...it is just better.  I use this as a demo at the store all the time simply because it comes out so great.

Cream Cheese Apricot Danish

1 puffed pastry sheet, thawed  (½ package)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
3 TBS apricot jam

In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese and the sugar together until smooth.  On a lightly floured surface unfold the puffed pastry sheet.  Using a sharp knife, cut the sides of the puffed pastry (first and third sections) on a 45 degree angle towards the middle of the pastry (the cuts should start at the top in the middle and point down toward the edge).  Spread the cream cheese mixture in the middle section of the pastry almost to the ends.  Spread a thin layer of the apricot jam over the cream cheese.  Braid the cuts starting at the top, across the middle section pinching at the ends to seal.  Line the solid baking pan with parchment paper.

 Place the danish on the parchment and bake in the steam oven using the Auto Steam Bake Mode set at 400° for about 30-35 minutes until golden brown.