Easy Braided Puff Pastry with Cream Cheese and Berries
Flaky layers of puff pastry wrapped around a creamy filling and sweet berries, that’s all it takes to make this gorgeous braided puff pastry. It looks bakery-worthy but comes together in about 30 minutes. Whether you use fresh summer fruit or a bag of frozen, this berry puff pastry with cream cheese is the kind of recipe that works for brunch, holidays, or just when you want something special with your morning coffee.
In a medium bowl add cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix with hand held mixer until smooth.
Thaw puff pastry almost completely, it should be cold but not frozen. Roll out onto a piece of parchment paper into a 14 x 11 inch rectangle.
Place cream cheese mixture down the center of the pastry lengthwise in a row about 2 inches wide. Add fruit to the top of the cream cheese mixture.
With a sharp knife, cut the side of the pastry into 1 inch strips on both sides of the cream cheese layer. Beginning at the top of the dough, take one strip and pull it over the cream cheese at an angle. Do the same on the other side. Continue until the filling is covered.
Mix egg white with a teaspoon of water and brush onto the braid. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Place onto a Jelly Roll pan to catch any juices and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let cool before eating.
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Barbara's Notes + Tips
You can use all of one berry or any combination of berries.
Frozen berries will work.
If the dough gets too soft, put the entire braid on a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Roll the puff pastry onto parchment so that you can place it in the freezer for a few minutes before baking.