Name: Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Urfa Danish
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces (227 grams) goat cheese; 2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese; 1 large egg yolk , plus 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water; ¼ teaspoon table salt; ⅛ teaspoon pepper; 1¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , chopped coarse, plus 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil; 4 teaspoons Urfa pepper , divided; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 2 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry , thawed; 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Why This Recipe Works

Savory versions are unexpected, irresistible, and so much fun to make. For a savory cheese Danish to transcend breakfast, swap the more traditional cream cheese filling for a base of tangy goat cheese (but not entirely: adding a small amount of cream cheese makes the filling soft enough to spread easily but firm enough to hold its shape). Umami-rich sun-dried tomatoes complement the tart goat cheese when nestled together in the rich, flaky puff pastry. Mixing in some of the tomatoes’ oil, garlic, and Urfa pepper (a dried Turkish chile pepper with a smoky, raisiny flavor) creates a supercharged topping that becomes pleasingly jammy in texture after it bakes. A final sprinkle of Urfa enhances the flavor of the lightly charred tomatoes with its unique sweet smokiness.

Before You Begin

If you can't find Urfa pepper, you can substitute ground dried Aleppo pepper or smoked paprika or forgo the pepper altogether. This recipe produces square-shaped Danish.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Process goat cheese, cream cheese, egg yolk, salt, and pepper in food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed; transfer to bowl. Stir tomatoes and oil, 1 tablespoon Urfa, and garlic together in second bowl.

Dust counter lightly with flour. Working with 1 piece puff pastry at a time, unfold pastry and roll into 10-inch square. Cut into four 5-inch squares. Space pastry squares evenly on prepared sheets. Divide goat cheese mixture evenly among pastry squares, mounding about 2 level tablespoons in center of each square and spreading into 3½-inch circle. Divide tomato mixture evenly over each goat cheese circle and sprinkle with thyme. Brush edges of puff pastry with egg wash.

Bake Danish, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let Danish cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon Urfa. Serve warm or at room temperature.