A Traditional Danish Pastry Recipe
- Carbohydrate 32.15332 g
- Cholesterol 58.2958333333333 mg
- Fat 16.4970116666667 g
- Fiber 1.253583375295 g
- Protein 6.06283333333333 g
- Saturated Fat 9.95437125 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (82g)
- Sodium 9.61633333333333 mg
- Sugar 30.899736624705 g
- Trans Fat 1.38721208333334 g
- Calories 301 calories
Step-by-step
- Pour water and milk in a cup and add egg.
- Beat with a fork to mix.
- I add the orange peel in this liquid mixture as well or any flavorings.
- Set aside.
- Put flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix to incorporate.
- Cut butter in thin slices.
- Using a knife, cut butter slices into flour mixture.
- Pour liquids quickly using hands to fold the ingredients.
- (I usually mix with a fork, since the heat in the hands can melt the butter...and you don't want that!)
- Do not overdo the stirring ...you don't want the butter to melt into the dough.
- It will be sticky and sort of dry with lumps of butter at this point.
- Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
- Take dough out of fridge and let it get to room temperature.
- Roll out 20 inch square ( or thereabouts).
- The dough might be a bit scraggly but as you do the turns it will come together wonderfully.
- You want to see little butter pieces throughout the dough.
- This will make the pastry flaky.
- Fold into thirds (like a letter).
- Turn dough so that closed fold is on your left (like the spine of a book).
- Roll dough out again and repeat 3 more times ( I always do 4).
- Cut in 1/2 to yield 2 pastry doughs.
- You should see layers of dough when you cut it in half.
- Refrigerate covered for at least 30 minutes.
- Take out of fridge and roll into any shape you like.
- You can do a classical braided version by rolling out a rectangle size 1/4 in thick .
- On each side of the rectangle cut about 1/2 inch strips at a slant(sort of like making straight Christmas tree branches) leaving about a 2 inch space.
- You want them to be the same number of strips on the right side and on the left side.
- Place filling in the middle and braid overlapping the strips.
- Put on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush with egg glaze.
- Let rise till doubled (1-1/2 hrs).
- Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 15 minutes.
- Let cool add clear glaze .
- Let set and add sugar glaze.
Unsalted butter performs the heaviest structural lifting in this laminated dough, creating distinct layers of steam and fat as it bakes. Because the chilling process relies entirely on solid fat pieces remaining intact within the gluten network, substituting margarine or coconut oil alters the final texture significantly by melting prematurely at room temperature. Bread flour provides the necessary protein matrix to hold those butter layers during the repeated rolling and folding stages.
Managing Adjustments and Equipment Workarounds
Adapting fillings requires careful attention to moisture content. High-moisture fruit preserves or fresh ricotta can make the dough soggy if not balanced with thickeners like ground nuts or powdered sugar. A standard rolling pin works adequately, though a heavy marble rolling pin helps keep the butter cold while flattening the square. If the dough becomes too sticky during the initial mixing phase, use a bench scraper to fold the ingredients rather than adding excess flour, which toughens the final crumb. Refrigerating the dough overnight allows the hydration process to complete evenly without requiring extra kneading.
- If butter begins melting out of the dough during rolling, place the square back into the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Substitute bread flour with all-purpose flour only if necessary, though the reduced protein content will yield a less resilient pastry structure.
- Bake the shaped pastries at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, watching for a deep golden brown visual cue before removing them from the oven.
