Cream Cheese Strawberry Danish with Puff Pastry

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Core and thinly slice the strawberries. Then, in a small bowl, whisk the egg white with 1/2 Tablespoon of water to make egg wash. Set aside.

Next, unroll the thawed puff pastry on a lightly-floured cutting board or pastry board. Using a rolling pin, roll the puff pastry a few times width-wise and length-wise just to seal the seams together.

Cut the puff pastry in half length-wise with a pizza cutter or a sharp paring knife. Then, cut each strip of puff pastry into 3 equal rectangles width-wise.

Using a paring knife, score a 1/4-inch border around the outside of the puff pastry rectangles. Don't cut all the way through! The scoring will allow the edges of the puff pastry to rise and create a border to keep the filling in place.

Transfer the puff pastry rectangles to the prepared sheet pans, spacing them at least 2-inches apart. (They will puff up quite a bit.) Place the puff pastry rectangles in the fridge.

Add the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste or extract to a large mixing bowl. Use a rubber spatula or hand mixer to beat the filling until it's well-mixed and there are no lumps of cream cheese.

Remove the puff pastry rectangles from the refrigerator. Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the puff pastry rectangles with egg wash. This will help the danishes bake up shiny and golden-brown!

Dollop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of each puff pastry rectangle. Use a rubber spatula or butter knife to evenly spread the filling, making sure not to go past the borders.

Top the centers of the danishes with a few slices of strawberries, letting some of the cream cheese filling peek through. Depending on the size of the strawberries, you will have anywhere between 4-6 slices. Don't over-crowd the danishes, or the strawberries will be too heavy for the delicate pastry.

Bake the danishes on the middle rack of the oven for 18-20 minutes, until the filling is set and the edges of the puff pastry are golden-brown. Meanwhile, microwave the apricot preserves in a small bowl until it's runny.

Right after you remove the danishes from the oven, use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the berries with the apricot preserves. Let the danishes cool on the sheet pan for 5-10 minutes. Then, transfer the pastries to a wire rack to cool until they're warm.

While the danishes cool, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl. The glaze should be the consistency of glue. If it's too thick, add a bit more lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.

Using the tines of a fork, drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm danishes. Let the glaze harden for about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy the danishes right away with coffee or tea!