Braided Cherry Danish

174

By Doughmesstic

Prep Time:

20m

Bake/Cook Time:

25m - 30m

Yield:

8 - 10 servings

Ever wanted to impress your breakfast crew with a treat that looks bakery-made but is super easy? Let's make a Braided Cherry Danish. It’s easier than it looks: simply cut strips into the store-bought puff pastry dough, scoop the filling down the center, and crisscross the strips of dough over the top. No one has to know it wasn’t a chore!

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Products Used

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Ingredients

1 box (2 pastries) frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups sweet cherries (fresh or frozen) pitted
2/3 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Start by preparing filling: In a small saucepan, heat butter, cherries, and sugar over medium-low heat until sugar has dissolved. Stir in cornstarch, and continue to cook over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Prepare pastry: Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper; set aside. Unroll one pastry dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on baking sheet.
Along one long side of dough make parallel cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1/2 inch apart, coming in towards center of dough, stopping 1 inch from the center. Repeat on opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those already made.
Spoon cherry mixture into braid, omitting any non-thickened juices. Fill braid down center of rectangle. Starting with top and bottom “flaps”, fold top flap over filling to cover. Next, fold bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep braid neat and helps to hold in filling. Now begin folding cut side strips of dough over filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in ends.
Repeat entire process with the second pastry sheet.
Whisk egg in a bowl. With a pastry brush, lightly coat braid with egg wash.
Bake braids for 25-30 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven. Serve warm, or allow to cool. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Keep stored in an airtight container.

Imperial Sugar Insight

Recipe developed for Imperial Sugar by Susan Whetzel @doughmesstic.

Rate & Review

The Pancake Princess

Apr 27, 2023

This recipe was truly so easy to make and it looked so beautiful! I found frozen cherries at Whole Foods and this recipe came together in a snap. Perfect for a weekend brunch!