Danish at Home: The Easier Way

Practically every bakery, supermarket and gas station in America sells Danish. Some are ethereal, flaky magic, puffed and browned from the oven; others are leaden, dull impostors. Either way, they have most likely been sitting around for some time.That is the inevitable fact about buying baked goods. It's also the most convincing argument for baking at home.Nothing that comes from a store can ever be quite as fresh as something pulled directly from the oven, and a store-bought dessert will never offer that delectable feeling of satisfaction you earn by baking from scratch. No matter how experienced (or inexperienced) you are as a baker, those two realities will always make the homemade treat taste that much better.Picture that same Danish from the store. Now imagine it warm, emerging from your own oven, exceedingly crisp, buttery and unquestionably fresh. That homemade Danish is well worth the effort. And with this shortcut method, the effort is considerably less than you may think.The traditional recipe for Danish pastry starts with a basic yeasted dough, kneaded until smooth and rested for at least an hour. Next, sticks of butter and a little bit of flour are worked together and softened, meticulously shaped into a perfect square, and chilled until firm.Then the two parts must be married. The dough is carefully wrapped around the butter block, rolled and folded a number of times. This is all harder than it sounds. The butter must be the perfect temperature to roll evenly but not ooze out or melt into the dough. The dough must be smooth, relaxed and pliable. And of course, the baker must work with a considerable amount of skill and finesse.With the streamlined method here, delightful Danish pastry is attainable with about 30 minutes of easy, active work and a little bit of foresight. The dough starts with the butter, flour, sugar, salt and active dry yeast whizzed up in the food processor. The goal is just to break the butter down into pea-size pieces. You could also do this with a knife or a pastry blender.Dump that mess into a bowl and stir in a beaten egg, a bit of milk and a splash of water with a fork, and the first step is done. That's about two hours of work condensed into five minutes. You don't even have to warm the milk or proof the yeast. Pop that mixture into the fridge for a few hours or up to two days. The longer it rests, the more delicious, yeasty flavor it will develop.After the dough has chilled, roll and fold it a total of six times. This is the most taxing part of the process, but if your dough has rested properly, it should be easy. The butter pieces roll out into thin layers between the dough, without extra prodding or anxiety. Whatever they do naturally is just fine.Give the dough another rest for a few hours or overnight. Then just roll, shape, proof and bake. All those resting hours give the baker plenty of time to dance, nap, watch movies, work on that novel, and then return to enjoy the fruits of the labor: fresh pastry that's both tender and crisp, beautiful to behold and, best of all, homemade.
Recipe: Danish DoughYield: Enough for 9 or 10 small pastries, or 1 large braidINGREDIENTS:1 1/2 cups/6 3/4 ounces/192 grams bread flour, plus more for the work surface and the rolling pin2 tablespoons/24 grams granulated sugar2 teaspoons/6 grams active dry yeast3/4 teaspoon/3 grams kosher salt14 tablespoons/198 grams cold, unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks), roughly cubed1 large egg1/4 cup/60 milliliters cold whole milkPREPARATION:1. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse to combine. The butter should be the size of small marbles and peas. Transfer this mixture to a medium bowl.2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and 2 tablespoons/30 milliliters water.3. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture until it is evenly moistened. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a small rectangle, and wrap well. Chill for at least 3 hours, and up to 2 days.4. On a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to an 8-by-15-inch rectangle. With a short side facing you, fold the dough in thirds like a letter, bringing the top third of the dough down, then folding the bottom third up. Use a bench scraper to help lift and fold the dough if necessary. At this point, the dough will be rough and shaggy with visible butter pieces; as you roll and fold the dough it will come together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Repeat the rolling and folding process, then rotate the dough once more and roll and fold again. As you work, dust the work surface, your hands and the rolling pin with flour as necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.5. Repeat the entire rolling and folding process one more time for a grand total of six turns. If the dough starts to fight you and become difficult to roll at any point, just pop it in the fridge for an extra rest. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.Tip: If you are using this dough to make the pear and almond Danish braid, add 1 teaspoon/2 grams coarsely ground fresh cardamom to step 1, along with the flour, sugar, yeast and salt.
Recipe: Cheese DanishYield: 9 pastriesINGREDIENTS:8 ounces/226 grams cream cheese1 1/4 cup/160 grams confectioners' sugar1 large egg yolkPinch of salt1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 batch Danish dough (see recipe)1 large egg, lightly beaten2 tablespoons/30 milliliters whole milkPREPARATION:1. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1/4 cup/32 grams confectioners' sugar, the egg yolk, the salt and the vanilla until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag; set aside.2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12 1/2-inch square. Trim 1/4 inch off each edge. Cut the dough into nine 4-inch squares. Brush the corners of each square with a bit of the beaten egg, then fold each corner into the center and press down gently. Transfer the squares to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.3. Cut the tip off one corner of the filled plastic bag so you have a 1/2-inch hole. Use the bag to pipe the cheese filling onto the center of each dough square. Loosely cover the pastries with plastic wrap and let stand until slightly puffed, about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. Heat oven to 425 degrees.4. Remove the plastic and gently brush the top and sides of the dough with the beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue to bake until pastries are puffed and deep golden brown, another 6 to 8 minutes.5. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1 cup/128 grams confectioners' sugar and the milk. Let the Danish cool slightly on the sheet then drizzle with the glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe: Everything DanishYield: 10 pastriesINGREDIENTS:2 tablespoons/18 grams sesame seeds2 tablespoons/20 grams poppy seeds2 tablespoons/26 grams dried onion flakes2 tablespoons/26 grams dried garlic flakes1 batch Danish dough (see recipe)1 large egg, separatedFlaky sea saltPREPARATION:1. In a small bowl, mix together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion flakes and garlic flakes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into an 11-by-14-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with egg white. Sprinkle the seed mixture evenly over the top, pressing lightly to adhere.2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Starting from a short side, roll the dough up into a tight coil. Using a bread knife, trim off the ends, then slice the coil into 10 equal pieces. Arrange the pastries on the baking sheets and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until slightly puffed, about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water.4. Remove the plastic and gently brush the top and sides of the pastries with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue to bake until puffed and deep golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes more. Serve warm or room temperature.
Recipe: Pear and Almond Danish BraidYield: 10 servingsINGREDIENTS:5 tablespoons/71 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature2 tablespoons/30 grams packed light or dark brown sugar1/2 teaspoon kosher salt3 cups/380 grams diced pear (from 2 to 3 firm Bosc pears)1/3 cup/52 grams raw almonds3 tablespoons/21 grams confectioners' sugar1 large egg yolk1/8 teaspoon almond extract1 batch Danish dough with cardamom added (see recipe)1 large egg, lightly beaten1/4 cup/80 grams apricot preserves, for glaze (optional)PREPARATION:1. To prepare the pear filling, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Add the pears and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pears to a plate and let the mixture cool completely.2. Use a coffee grinder to blend the almonds to a fine meal. Transfer the almond meal to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the confectioners' sugar, egg yolk and almond extract. Mash the mixture into a paste with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon.3. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll the dough into an 11-by-14-inch rectangle. Arrange so a short side is facing you. With a bench scraper or the backside of a knife, very lightly mark off a 3-inch section lengthwise down the center of the dough. (Don't cut through the dough, you're just creating a guide for yourself.) Cut 1-inch strips perpendicular to the lengthwise guidelines, on either side of the 3-inch section. (These strips will be folded up to become the braided top.) Cut off the top and bottom corner strips, leaving the center flap.4. Spread the almond mixture down the 3-inch section of the pastry, leaving about an 1/8-inch border on all sides. Top evenly with the pear mixture, leaving any accumulated liquid on the plate.5. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Very lightly, brush a 1-inch border around the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg. (You'll be brushing the pastry that's been cut into strips, and the two end flaps.)6. Fold up the top and bottom ends of the center section to create a barrier for the filling. Starting at the top, fold each strip in at a slightly downward angle over the filling, alternating from left to right. Make sure the strips are overlapping by about 1/2 inch so they don't open up while baking. Using the parchment, move the filled pastry onto a rimmed baking sheet.7. Cover the pastry loosely with plastic wrap and let rest until slightly puffed, about 1 hour. Note the thickness of the strips when you first set it aside and use their growth as a guide. It's ready when the dough bounces back slowly when pressed lightly. (If it bounces back too fast, it hasn't risen enough; if it doesn't bounce back at all, it's gone too far.) While dough is rising, heat the oven to 425 degrees.8. Gently brush the top and sides of the pastry with some of the remaining beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes then turn the pan and reduce the heat to 375 degrees. Bake until deep golden brown and puffed, 10 to 15 minutes more.9. Meanwhile, make the apricot glaze if desired. Heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan, stirring, until loose. Strain the jam through a mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard the solids. Brush a thin coat of apricot glaze over the warm pastry. Let cool slightly before serving.© 2015 New York Times News Service