Korean Melon and Cream Cheese Pastries (from Two Red Bowls blog)

1 Korean melon, rind removed, deseeded and chopped (or roughly 1 1/2 cups of your favorite melon, chopped)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp lemon juice, divided (optional)
4 oz cream cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb puff pastry, storebought or homemade
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1. Simmer melon with 6 tablespoons of the sugar for 8-10 minutes, or
until melon is soft and translucent and bubbles are thick and viscous. Stir in 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp
lemon juice, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Thaw the puff pastry if using frozen storebought pastry, or prepare a batch if
making from scratch. Whisk the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of sugar, half the egg (about 2 tablespoons, though I wouldn't stress too much about getting it exactly even), 1/4 tsp lemon
juice, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract until smooth. Whisk the remaining half an egg in a
small bowl with a splash of water or milk, to make the egg wash.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Working with half the pastry at a time, roll out the puff pastry
and cut into roughly 2x4" rectangles (or whatever shape you desire). On half of the rectangles,
place a teaspoon or two of the melon jam and a teaspoon or two of the cheese filling. Dab the
borders with egg wash. On the other half (the "lids"), score the centers of the rectangles with a
sharp knife, then place over the rectangles with filling and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.
You may want to stretch the lids slightly to ensure that they fit over the filling. Brush the lids with
egg wash and sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pastries
are golden and puffed. Enjoy warm!
**You can also stir in a tablespoon of liquid pectin or about half a packet of powdered gelatin (dissolved in a bit of water) near the end of cooking if you'd like a set jam.