Cheese Pastry Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Don't whip!
• Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled Danish for 15 minutes.
• Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Combine the cream cheese, butter and salt in a large bowl or in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Mix or process until smooth. Add the Parmesan cheese and flour and mix to combine. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten to a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.

Steps:

• In a food processor blend the butter, the cream cheese, the flour, and the salt, pulsing the motor, until the dough just begins to form a ball, gather the dough into a ball, and flatten slightly. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour. The dough may be made 1 day in advance and kept wrapped well and chilled.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unravel the pastry on the sheet of baking parchment it comes with, and cut into six squares. Mix the soft cheese with the mustard, if using, and a good grinding of black pepper. Divide between the middles of the pastry squares, and smooth over in a diagonal line from one corner to the opposite side.
• Lay a bacon rasher over the soft cheese, then scatter over the cheese. Brush the two exposed corners of pastry with beaten egg, and fold over the top of the filling to join together. Brush the tops with more egg, then slide the baking parchment on to a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese has melted and the pastry is golden.
• Transfer to a cooling rack for 5-10 mins before serving warm. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for two-three days.

Steps:

• Sprinkle raisins with brandy and set aside.
• In a bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar. Beat in flour, sour cream, vanilla and butter. Beat in egg yolk. Fold in raisins. Chill until using.

Steps:

• Process the butter, cream cheese, and cream in a food processor, electric mixer, or by hand to thoroughly combine.
• Add the flour and salt. Process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out.
• Rub flour all over a rolling pin. Working with one dough disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface. Applying some pressure with the rolling pin, roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges. Rotate the disk and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin, turn the dough over, and continue to roll the dough from the center out to the edges. Turn over and roll again, rotating the disk to ensure even rolling until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, thin but not transparent.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, blend feta cheese, green onions, and egg. Cut pastry into 12 (3 inch) squares. Place a mounded tablespoon of feta mixture in the center of each square. Moisten edges with water, and fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. Lightly brush pastries with the egg yolk mixture.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Thaw the pastry.
• If using homemade, put your dough in the refrigerator to chill.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan on a low heat.
• Mix in the onions and cook them until they are just beginning to soften.
• Mix them with the cheese and parsley.
• Roll out the pastry and cut out 4 rounds, each about 6 inches in diameter.
• Put a quarter of the cheese mixture on one half of each one.
• Fold over the other side and crimp the edges together.
• Lay the pasties on a floured baking sheet and brush them with milk or beaten egg.
• Bake them for 30 minutes and serve hot.