Cherry Almond Danish (Coffee Cake)

This sounds like a delightful Cherry Almond Danish Coffee Cake! Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients and directions, formatted for clarity:

Cherry Almond Danish (Coffee Cake)

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

For the Danish:

For the Glaze:

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Make Almond Filling:
   • In a food processor, combine the softened butter, sugar, and almond paste. Pulse until the mixture comes together.
   • Add the egg whites and almond extract. Process until a smooth paste forms.
   • Mix in the flour and salt until a sticky, smooth filling is formed.
3. Prepare Puff Pastry:
   • Arrange the thawed puff pastry sheet on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
   • Lightly mark the center of the pastry lengthwise with the back of a knife, creating a rectangle for the filling. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
4. Create Braiding Strips:
   • On each side of the marked center rectangle, make diagonal cuts at a 45-degree angle, approximately 2 inches apart. Leave about a 2-inch solid flap of dough at each end of the center rectangle.
5. Add Fillings:
   • Spread the almond filling evenly down the center of the pastry within the marked rectangle, leaving a 2-inch border along the end flaps without filling.
   • Spoon the cherry pie filling over the almond filling, focusing on the middle of the pastry to prevent leakage. Use mostly the cherries and discard most of the gelatinous sauce.
6. Braid the Danish:
   • Flip both end flaps of dough up and over the fillings to close the ends of the Danish.
   • To braid, take one strip of dough from one side and fold it over the filling at a 45-degree angle. Alternate with a strip from the other side, overlapping the strips as you go down the length of the filling.
7. Egg Wash and Almonds:
   • In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash.
   • Brush the entire surface of the braided pastry with the egg wash.
   • Sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds evenly over the top of the pastry.
8. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and puffed.
9. Prepare Apricot Glaze (Optional):
   • In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam with 2 tablespoons of water until the jam has thinned out to a glaze-like consistency.
10. Make the Glaze:
    • In a separate small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until a smooth glaze forms. Adjust the amount of heavy cream if needed to reach the desired consistency.
11. Glaze the Danish:
    • Remove the warm Danish from the oven and immediately brush it with the optional apricot glaze (if using), going over it twice for extra shine.
    • Drizzle or spread the prepared powdered sugar glaze over the warm Danish.
12. Cool and Serve: Let the Cherry Almond Danish cool completely until the glaze has hardened. Slice and enjoy!