Blueberry and Meyer Lemon Breakfast Pastry

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Baking up flaky and buttery in a few short minutes, frozen puff pastry is the secret to simple morning pastries. This sweet, easy breakfast pastry comes together without much planning (just thaw some puff pastry the night before). Be sure to leave the 1-inch border around the edges of the filling to prevent the sweet jam and tangy Meyer lemon–flecked cream cheese from escaping during baking. The tart dried blueberries aren't just a pretty topping; they help balance the sweetness of this nostalgic breakfast treat. While the cream cheese filling and assembly are essential, feel free to play with your choice of fruit preserve in place of the blueberry preserves, or try adding a few chocolate chips if the occasion calls for it. 

Blueberry and Meyer lemon Breakfast pastry
Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Servings:
6
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (such as Dufour), thawed

  • All-purpose flour, for dusting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese (such as Philadelphia), at room temperature

  • 1 cup unsifted powdered sugar (about 4 ounces)

  • 1 teaspoon grated Meyer lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh Meyer lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup blueberry preserves (such as Bonne Maman)

  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

  • 1 tablespoon crushed freeze-dried blueberries (from about 1 1/2 tablespoons whole freeze-dried blueberries)

Directions

  1. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 17- x 10-inch rectangle. Cut pastry in half lengthwise; place 1 pastry half on prepared baking sheet.

  2. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest and juice with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high, until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Measure 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture into a separate medium bowl; set aside for icing in step 5. Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture (about 1/2 cup) in a 1 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down the middle of pastry half on prepared baking sheet, leaving a 1-inch border along short pastry edges.

  3. Stir together preserves and cornstarch in a small bowl. Spoon preserves mixture evenly along ] long edges of cream cheese strip (about 2 tablespoons per side), leaving a 1-inch border on each long side. Beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush border of topped pastry lightly with egg mixture; reserve remaining egg mixture. Place remaining pastry half on top of filled pastry, pressing edges firmly to seal. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.

  4. Brush chilled pastry lightly with reserved egg mixture. Using a paring knife, cut 6 small (about 1/2-inch) slits on top of pastry. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and evenly puffed, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let pastry cool 10 minutes.

  5. Whisk milk into reserved 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture until smooth. Drizzle over warm pastry, and sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried blueberries. Serve warm.

Originally appeared: April 2022

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