Recipe(tried): DANISH PASTRY

Danish Pastry:

When making Danish pastry it is important to keep the dough very cold. In shaping small pastries, it is sometimes necessary to re-chill partially shaped dough until it is firm enough for the job to be completed.

When you first make Danish pastry, be careful to follow all the rules. Don't make it in the summertime unless your kitchen is air-conditioned. After you gain experience you may attempt short cuts such as rollong out and folding the dough twice in succession without re-chilling.

Another way of shortening the process is by placing the dough in the freezer between rollings. Usually 10 minutes in the freezer is sufficient. When you use this short cut, be careful not to freeze the dough solid.) The shaped pastries can also be chilled in the freezer. They can even be baked frozen if extra baking time is allowed. Any unbaked yeast pastries, however should never to kept frozen for more than a week or so; and it is preferable to bake Danish pstry within a day or two after it has been shaped.

4 to 6 cups flour
2 packages dry yeast or 1 ounce fresh yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 whole eggs or 6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups cold milk (approximately)
2 cups butter, firm, but not ice cold

Place 4 cups flour in a large bowl. Reserve remaining flour for rolling. Make a well in center of bowl.

If dry yeast is used, see directions on package. If fresh yeast is used, cream it with sugar and salt to make a syrup. Add egg yolks or whole eggs, grated orange rind, ground cardamom seeds, and vanilla.

Pour yeast mixture into well. Add one cup milk and 1/4 cup butter cut into pieces. Mix with finger tips, adding more milk if necessary,to make a medium-soft dough. Knead dough in bowl for 5 minutes or until it is smooth but not elastic. Flour it and let rest in refrigerator for 10 minutes.

While dough is resting, form remaining butter into a flattened brick. Using some of reserved flour on wax paper or a pastry cloth, roll out butter into a square about 1/3 inch thick. Use plenty of flour under and on top of butter to keep it from sticking. Loosen it frequently as you roll. Cut the square in 2 pieces. Place in refrigerator between sheets of wax paper.

Roll out dough on well-floured cloth to make a rectangle 3 times longer than wide and about 1/3 inch thick. Brush excess flour from dough. Place a piece of butter in center. Fold one end of dough over butter. Place remaining butter on top. Fold second end over the butter. Press edges together.

Turn dough, changing its position so that the short ends are parallel with the edge of table nearest you. Roll out on well-floured cloth, using a firm, even motion to spread butter together with dough. Try to work quickly, but check frequently underneath the dough to be sure it isn't sticking. Roll out a rectangle 3 times longer than wide, about 1/3 inch thick. Brush excess flour from surface. Fold both ends of dough to meet in the center. Press edges together, then fold in half as if closing a book, which will make 4 layers of dough. Flour dough. Place on cooky sheet. Cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Repeat rolling and folding dough 3 more times, chilling it 20 minutes between rollings. Be sure to change position of dough each time so that the short ends of dough are parallel with the edge of table nearest you when you start rolling.

After final folding, chill dough at least 3 hours before shaping and baking.

Baking Danish:

Danish pastry
Filling of your choice
2 egg yolks mixed with 2 teaspoons cream
sliced, blanched almonds
apricot glaze
rum fondant (optional)

Chill shaped pastries until they are cold, usually about 20 minutes for small ones and up to 45 minutes for larger rings.

While pastry is chilling, set oven at 450 degres. F. Lightly grease baking sheets.

Place chilled pastries well apart on baking sheets. Brush all over with egg yolk mixed with cream. Sprinkle with sliced, blanced almonds. Place in preheated oven. Bake small pastries for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Continue to bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until pastries are golden brown. Bake large cakes in a 450 degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Immediately upon taking pastries from oven, brush with hot apricot glaze, then, if desired, brush very lightly with rum fondant.

Pastries which are rolled in sugar before baking need no further glaze of any kind.

Danish pastries freeze very well after baking if they are thoroughly cooled. Do not brush with rum fondant if they are to be frozen. To serve, reheat frozen pastries until they are just crisp. Glaze as desired after removing from oven.

The recipe for Danish pastry will make approximately 40 small pastries, or 3 medium or 2 large cakes.