BLUEBERRY BRAID
RECIPE:
1 sheet Pepperidge Farms puff pastry, defrosted
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup sugar, divided
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons coarse sugar
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
1 egg, beaten
GLAZE
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup heavy cream or vanilla coffee creamer
Preheat the oven to 375. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Roll out the puff pastry and roll out just a bit bigger, and place it on the prepared sheet pan.
In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese, two tablespoons of the sugar, and the vanilla extract until they’re smooth and creamy.
Rinse and drain the blueberries (if using fresh blueberries), then add the remaining two tablespoons of sugar and the cornstarch. Stir until the blueberries are evenly coated.
Spread the cream cheese filling down the center of the puff pastry, leaving about four inches on each side.
Use a knife or scissors to cut slits in the puff pastry along the two sides of the cream cheese. The slits should be one inch apart and come to within half an inch of the filling.
Pour the blueberries over the top of the cream cheese filling.
Starting at one end, fold the puff pastry strips over the filling, alternating sides and slightly overlapping one another, to cover the blueberries completely. Tuck the end strips under.
Brush the pastry with the egg wash, and sprinkle it with the coarse sugar and sliced almonds.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown, rotating the braid halfway.
Prepare the glaze while the pastry is baking: in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and the heavy cream until no lumps remain. (You may need to more or less heavy cream, depending on the desired consistency.)
Once the pastry has cooled slightly, drizzle the glaze over the top. Cut and serve.
Lorie
💕
4 weeks ago
