Puff Pastry Braid - w/ Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

You only need a few ingredients to make this delicious Puff Pastry Braid filled with sweetened cream cheese and lemon curd. This is the perfect puff pastry recipe to serve for an easy breakfast or brunch. It's also elegant enough to serve for dessert on a holiday.

Everyone is going to love this recipe for the taste and you're going to love it for how simple it is to make.

You would never believe by looking at the photo above how easy this recipe is to make. My sister was with me when I put this recipe together and she couldn't believe it either!

Using frozen puff pastry really helps create an impressive easy dessert recipe for you to serve for special occasions or for when your girlfriends are coming over for coffee.

I used lemon curd to go with the sweetened cream cheese mixture which gives you a sweet and tart flavor that is so delicious. You could add a little freshly grated lemon to decorate the top of the danish to let everyone know it's lemon flavored.

Table of Contents

• How to Thaw Puff Pastry Quickly
• Puff Pastry Danish Recipes
• Helpful Kitchen Tools
• Main Ingredients Needed
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Recipe Variations
• Puff Pastry Storage Tips
• 💬 Comments

How to Thaw Puff Pastry Quickly

The best way to thaw puff pastry is to plan ahead. Remove it from the freezer the night before you want to use it for a recipe. Place it in the refrigerator to defrost slowly.

However, life is not always perfect, so here are a few ways to thaw puff pastry quickly:

• The easiest way to defrost puff pastry quickly is to simply put the sheet on top of the counter.
• Remove the puff pastry from the paper wrapping and cover in plastic wrap.
• Place on a plate and watch closely. You do not want it to get too soft too quickly.
• Once it gets soft enough to start unfolding you should be able to roll it out and use in the recipe.
• Do not try to thaw puff pastry using the microwave.

Puff Pastry Danish Recipes

Here are a few other easy danish recipes to make:

• Puff Pastry Apple Tart is the very first recipe I made using puff pastry.
• These Puff Pastry Hearts are filled with chocolate mousse, but you could use a fruit filling.
• Another puff pastry braided recipe is my Chocolate Puff Pastry.
• My final danish recipes are Puff Pastry with Cream Cheese and Fruit and Puff Pastry Cream Cheese .

Helpful Kitchen Tools

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Main Ingredients Needed

This is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact quantities, detailed instructions and special notes.

• Puff Pastry Sheets
• Cream Cheese
• Powdered Sugar
• Heavy Cream
• Vanilla Extract
• Lemon Curd
• Egg Wash
• Granulated Sugar
• Powdered Sugar Glaze

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 | Combine the Ingredients

• In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the heavy cream.
• Then add the powdered sugar to the mixture.
• Finally add the vanilla extract.
• Mix for a few minutes until everything is combined and smooth.
• Set aside while you prepare the puff pastry.

Step 2 | Form the Puff Pastry Braid

• Carefully unfold the sheet of puff pastry. Place on top of a sheet of parchment paper. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry to remove the fold lines and until it is ¼ inch thick.
• Spread the cream cheese mixture down the center of the puff pastry.
• Then spoon the lemon curd on top of the cream cheese mixture.
• Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, begin slicing diagonal strips down both sides of the puff pastry being careful to leave a ½ inch border around the cream cheese and apple slices. 
• You should get around 8 to 10 strips depending on the length of your pastry braid.

Quick Tip: For more detailed photos and instructions on how to form the braid, please refer to the Apple Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Braid.

Step 3 | How to Fold up the Puff Pastry Braid

• Begin folding each section of the pastry up over the cream cheese/lemon curd mixture. You're really crisscrossing the strips of puff pastry and forming the braid.
• Tuck in and fold under the top and bottom pieces. You want to make sure both ends are tucked under so none of the mixture leaks out while it bakes.

Step 4 | Add the Egg Wash

• Brush the entire braid with the beaten egg wash.
• Sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top of the braid.

Step 5 | Baking Instructions

• Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for about 17 - 22 minutes or until golden brown.
• Just before serving, drizzle the top with the powdered sugar glaze.

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Recipe Variations

• If you're not a fan of lemon curd, leave it out! This recipe will be delicious with just the sweetened cream cheese filling.
• Or substitute the lemon curd for cherry or blueberry pie filling.
• For a savory variation of a similiar recipe, check out my Crescent Roll Pizza Pizza Braid.

Puff Pastry Storage Tips

• Filled puff pastry desserts, like this lemon cream cheese danish, need to be stored in a airtight container in the refrigerator.
• They will remain fresh like this for about a day.
• However, they are best eaten fresh.