Danish Pastry
1/4 c warm water (105 to 115 deg F)
2-12 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/2 cup milk at room temp
1 large egg at room temp
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2-1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 sticks (8 oz) cold butter

Pour the water into a large bowl- sprinke over the yeast and let soften for a minute. Add the milk, egg, sugar and salt and whisk to mix - set aside.
PUt the flour in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Cut the butter into 1/4 inch thick slices and drop them onto the flour. Pulse 8-10 times till the butter is in pieces about 1/2 in diameter- DON"T overdo this step the pieces must not be smaller than 1/2 inch.
Empty the contents of the food processor into the bowl with the yeast mixture and working with a rubber spatula very gently turn the mixture over scraping the bowl as needed till dry ingredients are moistened. The butter must remain in discrete pieces so you will produce a flaky pastry and not a bread or cookie dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnite (or up to 4 days)
Lightly flour a work surface (cool preferably - marble is ideal). Turn the dough onto it and dust with flour lightly. Using the palms of your hands pat the dough into a rough square. Roll the dough into a square about 16 inches on a side. FOld the dough in thirds (like a business letter and turn it so the closed fold is to your left (like the spine of a book) NOTE_ if at any time the dough gets too soft to roll- just cover with plastic and refrigerate for a quick chill. ROll the dough again this time into a rectangle about 10 inches wide by 24 inches long. Fold in thirds again. Roll again into about a 20 inch square. Fold again in thirds. Roll one more time into a rectangle 10 inches by 24 inches. Fold again in thirds and cut in half. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 min or up to 2 days.(It will expand in the refrig- especially if left overnite) Now you can shape into whatever shap you like- fill them and bake.
Below a great apple filling and the directions for a danish braid...I make them all the time...
APPLE FILLING
6 granny smith apples
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbls flour
Pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup fluffy bread crumbs
2 tsp lemon juice
Peel, core and cut each apple into 20-24 pieces.Put the apples in a large bowl and toss with the sugar, flour, cinnamon and bread crumbs.
Add just a squeeze of lemon juice (you can add more later if needed). Spread the apples on a flat jelly roll pan (use one with sides) and bake 15-20 min at 375 degrees till apples are soft . Scrape apples into a bowl and mash- but leave some lumps for texture. Taste and add more lemon juice if you think needs it.
Cool about 15 min.

I'll post this and then a second one for the rolling of the braid- I'm afraid I may get bumped off here and don't want to lose this.

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