Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Danish

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 sheet puff pastry dough (thawed)
• 1 apple (peeled, cored, and diced (I used a Jazz apple))
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulate sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Sanding sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

2. 2

   With a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

3. 3

   In a small pot, bring brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, water, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Add the apples and remove from heat. Set aside to cool while preparing dough.

4. 4

   Lightly flour a work surface and roll pastry dough out into a 12x12 inch square. Cut into nine 4x4 inch squares and then transfer to baking sheets. Prick dough with a fork all over.

5. 5

   Spoon 1-2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture onto the middle of each square and make an indent with a spoon. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons apple mixture on top of the cream cheese (it's ok if you have leftover caramel). Using a knife, make a diagonal cut from each corner to the middle of of the square, stopping right before you get to the cream cheese (don't cut under the cream cheese). Each square now has 4 triangles. Take the right point of each triangle and fold it up to the center and gently press down. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

6. 6

   Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.