Raspberry and Mascarpone Puff Pastry Delight

We used to make a cheese Danish ring and wanted to make a simple home version of that, which is how we had the inspiration to come up with this Raspberry and Mascarpone Puff Pastry Delight. In one bite, you get crunch from the puff pastry, smoothness from the cheese and a little sweetness from the raspberry, which together makes it quite delightful. 

Prepare the Puff Pastry

Before you begin, preheat the oven to 350 F. Also, make sure your puff pastry is cold, but not frozen. This will make it a little easier to work with.

Score the puff pastry sheet into three sections, vertically. Depending on the pastry, it may already had been folded into thirds, which would allow you to forgo scoring it. Using a Stainless Teaspoon, spoon the mascarpone cheese onto the middle section of the pastry and spread evenly.

Next, add the raspberry preserves to the top of the mascarpone cheese and spread evenly.

We used a nice raspberry preserve with seeds, which gives it more flavor versus if you were to use seedless. You can also use other preserves, such as peach or strawberry, if you prefer. 

Braid the Puff Pastry

After the filling is placed, use a Pizza Cutter to cut strips along both sides of the pastry, approximately one-inch wide.

After the cuts are made, tightly braid the strips one across the other.

After the pastry is braided, tuck the ends up.

Brush the top with an egg wash. This is what adds that beautiful color and finish to the top of many pastries. And, then sprinkle the top of the braid with a light layer of granulated sugar.

Bake the Puff Pastry

Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Ovens vary, so we recommend checking on it periodically while it is baking to avoid burning.

Once done, remove from the oven and, using the Slotted Turner, transfer the pastry to another pan to expedite the cooling process. We recommend not eating it right away. By letting it cool off for about 20 to 30 minutes you will be able to really get that full crunch you would want when you bite into the pastry.

Once cooled, dollop with some additional mascarpone cheese and garnish with fresh raspberries. If desired, lightly dust it with powdered sugar. Use a Spatula Spreader to cut and serve.

This Raspberry and Mascarpone Puff Pastry Delight really is simple to make and satisfies the sweetest of cravings. When you take that first bite, you get many different flavors, which makes it the perfect treat after or even before dinner.