Eggless Apple Cheese Danish Recipe Highlights
This is what happens when you go apple picking and end up with a huge amount of apples in your kitchen. No kidding. Like 234 of them. Ok… I am exaggerating, but lots of apples. We have been eating them in any way possible. This Eggless Salted Caramel Apples Cheese Danish was our favorite. This buttery, flaky pastry with rich cream cheese filling, apples, and salted caramel was a tasty way to celebrate fall. It was very easy to make, and I love the fact that I was able to develop an eggless version. Most of the Danish recipes I saw online have eggs in them. The Eggless Salted Caramel Apple Cheese Danish is sweet but with the perfect amount of salt to balance it. I am telling you, it’s a heavenly dessert. You can’t stop with just one portion; it is absolutely delicious! I had a super special helper for this Eggless Salted Caramel Apple Cheese Danish shoot!!
What is Apple Danish?
An apple Danish, also known as an apple pastry or apple turnover, is a sweet pastry filled with apple filling. It is a popular baked good enjoyed as a breakfast treat or dessert. The Danish pastry, from which the name “Danish” originates, is believed to have been brought to Denmark by Austrian bakers in the 19th century. It’s known for its rich, buttery layers. While the classic apple Danish typically features a sweet apple filling encased in flaky pastry dough and may be topped with icing or powdered sugar, there are variations that include cream cheese filling as an additional element.
Frozen puff pastry: Frozen puff pastry is a time-saver. It comes in sheets or blocks, and you can store it in your freezer until you’re ready to use it. It’s important to thaw the pastry according to the package instructions. Typically, it’s best to let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Various brands offer frozen puff pastry sheets, including Pepperidge Farm and Dufour. You may find them in the frozen section of your local grocery store. Butter: I prefer unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, that will work, too. Apples: Use any apples you like best. I always use Granny Smith + a red variety such as Honeycrisp or Fuji. Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar or caster sugar. All-purpose flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best here; skip the cake flour, bread flour, and wheat flour. Make sure to measure accurately. In my opinion, a kitchen scale is the best way to measure your ingredients. Spices: You’ll need ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Cream cheese: Make sure you use the full-fat version that comes in blocks. Pure vanilla extract: Reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation for optimal flavor. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract! If you are looking for non-alcoholic vanilla flavoring, I recommend Simply Organic Vanilla Flavoring. Salted caramel: You can use store-bought or homemade. When I have no time to make my own, I like to use Ghirardelli Sea Salt Caramel Flavored Sauce. Milk for brushing: I recommend using whole milk. Coarse sugar: For a little extra sweet crunch on top.
Cut the Dough into Strips: Use a knife or pastry wheel to cut the rolled-out dough into even strips. The width of the strips can vary depending on your preference, but about 1/2 to 3/4 inch (1.25 to 2 cm) is common. You can use a ruler to ensure they are evenly sized. Create the Base Layer: Lay half of the strips vertically over the filling, evenly spaced apart. These strips will become the base layer of your lattice pattern. Begin Weaving: Fold back every other strip slightly, a little more than halfway. Then, place a strip horizontally across the unfolded strips. Unfold the folded strips over the horizontal ones. Repeat the Weaving: Fold back the vertical strips that are now under the horizontal strip and add another horizontal strip next to the first one. Unfold the folded strips. Continue Weaving: Repeat the weaving process, alternating between folding and placing horizontal strips until you’ve covered the entire top of your pie or tart. You can gently press the ends of the strips into the edge of the bottom crust. Trim and Seal: Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges of your dish. Then, use a fork or your fingers to crimp and seal the edges of the lattice to the bottom crust.
For this Danish, I used 5 strips. Lay 5 strips of dough over parchment paper. Starting in the center, weave 1 new strip under and over the strips. Weave a second strip, this time weaving over, then under. Repeat, weaving strips across. Return to the center, and repeat with the remaining dough strips to form a lattice pattern. This video is really helpful.
Use a mix of tart and sweet apples like Granny Smith and Fuji for a balanced flavor. When working with pastry dough, keep it cold to maintain its flakiness. If the dough becomes too warm and soft, it can be challenging to handle. Work quickly and refrigerate the dough as needed during the process. I like to make the apple filling first and let it cool slightly before adding it on top of the pastry. Allow the apple Danishes to cool slightly before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together and prevents burning your mouth on a hot filling. When substituting other fruits for apples, keep in mind that the sweetness and juiciness of the fruit may vary, so you may need to adjust the amount of sugar and any additional flavorings to suit your taste. The pastry dough and baking process will remain relatively consistent regardless of the fruit used, allowing you to enjoy a variety of fruit-filled pastries beyond traditional apple Danishes.
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This recipe was originally published in October 2014. The recipe remains the same, but more notes, tips, photos, and information were added to the post in October 2023 to make it as helpful as possible!
