Apple Cheese Danish

01Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Spoon the cottage cheese into a cheesecloth- or paper-towel-lined strainer and allow it to drain for 5–10 minutes, then press dry with paper towels and set aside. Toss the apple slices with lemon juice in a bowl.

3. 3

   In a stand mixer, beat together the drained cottage cheese, cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract on high speed until nearly smooth, about 1–2 minutes.

4. 4

   Divide each puff pastry sheet into 9 equal pieces and roll each one out to a 5×5-inch square.

5. 5

   Orient a square like a diamond. Spoon a generous portion of the cheese mixture along the center, leaving a small border at the top and bottom. Arrange 4–5 apple slices over the filling, then fold the left and right corners toward the center and pinch firmly to seal.

6. 6

   Place the pastries on the prepared baking sheets, sprinkle with the decoration sugar, and bake until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.