DANISH CHEESE PASTRY

Steps:

• 1. For the dough: Combine the flour, granulated sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse to combine. The mixture should be the size of small peas. Transfer mixture to a medium-size bowl.
• 2. In a small bowl, combine the egg, milk and 2 tbsp. water. Add the egg mixture to the flour. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture until it is evenly moistened. Place the dough onto a piece of cling wrap and shape into a small rectangle (make sure it is wrapped well). Chill for approximately 3 hours - up to a day.
• 3. Lightly flour the surface and rolling pin and roll out your dough into a rectangle (8 x 15 inch). Have the short side facing you and then fold the dough into thirds (as you would fold a letter) - folding the top third of dough down and the bottom third up. The dough will appear rough and flecked with pieces of butter, but as you roll out your dough, it will come together. Rotate your dough and repeat the folding process two more times. Continue dusting the work surface including your hands and the rolling pin with flour. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.
• 4. Roll and fold the dough one more time. Refrigerate the dough if it becomes difficult to roll. Now wrap the dough in cling wrap one more time and refrigerate approx. 2 hours or overnight.
• 5. For the filling: In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, the egg yolk, salt and vanilla until smooth. Add mixture to a resealable plastic bag and set aside.
• 6. Roll out your dough to approximately a 12 1/2-inch square. Cut 1/4 inch off each edge and then cut dough into 9 4-inch squares. Brush the corners of each square with some of the beaten egg and then fold each corner into the center and press down gently. Move the squares to two parchment-lined baking sheets.
• 7. Snip the tip off one corner of the plastic bag to make a 1/2 inch hole. Pipe cheese filling onto the center of each dough square. Loosely cover the pastries with cling wrap and let them stand until slightly puffed up, approximately one hour or slightly longer.
• 8. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the cling wrap and gently brush the tops of the pastry with the beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate sheet pans and reduce the oven temp to 375 degrees. Continue baking until they are puffed and golden brown in color, approximately 6-8 minutes.
• 9. Combine and whisk together the remaining 1 cup of confectioner's sugar with the milk. Let the pastry cool slightly on the pans and then drizzle with the glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.