Danish pastry recipe

Danish Pastry recipe

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About this recipe

In this blog post I will guide you thru the steps and ingredients needed to craft this recipe. Grab your favorite apron and let's start.
This Danish pastry recipe is a delightful treat that will transport you to the cozy cafes of Denmark. With its flaky, buttery layers and sweet filling options, it is perfect for breakfast or dessert. Whether you choose to make traditional fruit-filled pastries or experiment with savory variations, this recipe will guide you through the process step by step. Indulge in the irresistible aroma and taste of freshly baked Danish pastries right in your own kitchen.

Keywords: Danish pastry, flaky, buttery, sweet filling, breakfast, dessert, fruit-filled, savory, homemade.

Danish pastry recipe details

Danish pastry recipe, recipe Rating: 4.5
Number of votes:99 

Ingredients

500 g	plain flour
50 g	caster sugar
2 medium	eggs
40 g	fresh yeast or 20g dried yeast
180 ml	milk or a 50/50 mix of milk and water
250 g	butter, unsalted, at room temperature

Instructions

Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix the yeast with a little of the milk and allow to stand for a few minutes.

Add eggs and yeast mixture to dry ingredients, followed by the rest of the milk. Use a food mixer on medium speed for 15 minutes. If mixing by hand, mix to a dough and then knead until smooth and shiny.

Cover the bowl and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch or 30cm square and about 2cm thick.

Slice the butter fairly thickly and arrange in a row down the centre, leaving about a ½ inch or 12mm border above and below. Fold one side in towards the centre and fold the other side over it. Press down all open edges with a rolling pin to seal. Allow to rest for about 15-20 minutes.

Roll out the dough to a 12 inch square once again. Rotate the dough through 90 degrees or a quarter-turn. Fold the sides as before and allow to rest for a further 15-20 minutes. Repeat this series of rolling and folding routines twice more, always turning in the same direction, and with the same resting period.

Finally roll out the dough to a 12 inch square and cut into 3 or 4 strips.

Roll out each strip to a square with a thickness of less than ¼ inch, about 4-5mm and cut out to the sizes or shapes required for the specific design(s) and fillings to be used. Any surplus pastry may be rolled again.

Add fillings as appropriate, shape and bake for 10-12 minutes in a preheated oven at Gas Mark 6, 200°C, 400°F, on a high shelf until golden brown. Brush with glaze(s) while warm and allow to cool completely on wire rack before serving.

About the recipe:
The number of portions is arbitrary and may be lesser or greater according to the size and style of pastries to be made. Most Danish Pastries start with a square of pastry that may be folded, or cut and folded, in a variety of patterns to create different shapes. Some use a circular or oval starting shape, but not many. They are often filled with the more robust fruits; pineapple, peach, apricot, cherries (fresh or glacé), plum, apple and pear are typical. Sometimes cheeses such as cottage cheese or ricotta are used and occasionally creme patissiere alone or they may be unfilled and plain. They are always glazed, the pastry usually with a lemon glaze and the fillings frequently with an apricot glaze.

Preparation time:
ca. 2 hrs
Grade of difficulty:
medium
Calories per portion:
n/a