Cream Cheese Danish (Lower Carb)

My mom is visiting for a couple of months. She was interested in having a 'nicey'. I found a new recipe for a lower carb Danish which we are trying today.

 

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons sugar (20.82 grams)
• 1 egg yolk
  

Pastry:

• 4 egg yolks (use the extra yolk in the filling)
• 5 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon sugar (12.50 g)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon almond flour
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ¼ cup slivered almonds (or 1 cup berries?)
  

Icing:

• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  

 

Instructions:

1. Getting started:
   Separate five eggs - put all the whites in a stand mixing bowl, put 4 of the yolks in a small mixing bowl, and put the last yolk in another small mixing bowl (for the filling).
   
   
2. Make the filling: 
   In a mixing bowl with 1 yolk, stir in the softened cream cheese, the vanilla extract and the sugar until smooth.
   
   
3. Make the dough:
   Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
4. Add the sugar, cream cheese, and flours to the yolks mixing bowl. Stir in almond flour and mix until smooth.
5. In the stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. 
6. Gently fold the yolk mixture into the beaten whites until well incorporated.
   
7. Spoon six mounds of the batter on each prepared baking sheet, flatten slightly. (I used a rounded large cookie scoop, and then evened them up later with the extra.) 
8. Spoon the cream cheese filling into the center of the 12 batter mounds. (I used a slightly rounded small cookie scoop.)
9. Bake for 30 minutes.  They should turn out lightly browned.
   
   
   
   
   
10. If desired, spoon some thickened fruit syrup over the center.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Allow to cool slightly before adding icing. (I moved mine to a wire rack so the bottoms will dry out a bit.)
    
    
12. Make the icing:
    Mix powdered sweetener with cream cheese. Add the vanilla extract and stir or whisk.
    
13. Add heavy cream and whisk again until smooth. 
14.  Pipe from pastry bag over slightly cooled Danish.
    

 

Carole's Notes:

We liked this! They are tasty. The dough is fluffy and lightly sweet, but not decadently buttery like a puff pasrty.

The recipe is lightly adapted from https://www.tasty-lowcarb.com/low-carb-almond-cheese-danish/

I used my berry syrup recipe from https://carolelikesroundfood.blogspot.com/2021/11/oatmeal-pancakes.html that I thickened a bit, since my mom prefers a fruit Danish.