Danish Cheese Pockets

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 lb danish pastry dough (approximately)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (sifted after measuring)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 combine cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla.
• 2 beat together with a small spatula.
• 3 place dough on a floured surface and lightly sprinkle flour over it.
• 4 using a rolling pin, press the dough in firm, parallel strokes to soften it.
• 5 flour the surface and the dough again if necessary.
• 6 roll dough out to a 12" x 17" rectangle.
• 7 slide dough onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.
• 8 cut a 1-inch wide strip of dough from one of the narrow sides, and set it aside.
• 9 cut remaining dough into 12 4-inch squares.
• 10 leave squares in place and drop a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each square.
• 11 fold the four corners of each square in to meet in the center over the filling, overlapping only about 1/4 inch.
• 12 place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
• 13 cut reserved pastry into 12 1-inch squares.
• 14 beat the egg and salt together and brush a little in the center of each pastry.
• 15 top with a square of the reserved dough.
• 16 cover and let rise until just starting to puff, about 20-30 minutes.
• 17 preheat oven to 400°f.
• 18 brush pastry all over with egg wash.
• 19 sprinkle with almonds.
• 20 bake until pastry is deep golden and filling is set, about 20 minutes.
• 21 cool on rack.
• 22 combine icing ingredients in a small saucepan and stir to mix.
• 23 cook over low heat until just lukewarm.
• 24 drizzle icing over pastry and let set.