Easy Cheese Danishes

8 oz. cream cheese at room temp.
1/3 c. sugar
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temp.
2 T. ricotta cheese
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beated with 1 T. water for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet with parchment paper.
Place cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer w/ paddle attachment and cream together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Don't whip!
Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10X10 inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a heaping T. of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold two opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush top of pastries with egg wash. Place onto cookie sheet. Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled Danish for 15 min. Bake pastries for about 20 min., rotating once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm. If make in advance, reheat them in 350 degree oven for 5 min. *I made these for a baby shower brunch and they were a hit! Instead of 4 squares I did mini-danishes and did 9 squares per puff pastry.
Barefoot Contessa cookbook