Ingredients
Laminated dough
- 500 gstrong white flour
- 25 gfresh yeast
- 200 mlcold whole milk
- 2eggs
- 60 gcaster sugar
- 1 tspsalt
- 2 tspground cardamom, freshly ground from green pods
- 50 gbutter, softened, for the dough
- 300 gcold unsalted butter, at least 82% fat, for the block
Pastry cream (kagecreme)
- 400 mlwhole milk
- 1vanilla pod, split
- 4egg yolks
- 80 gcaster sugar
- 35 gcornflour
Finishing
- 1egg, beaten, for glazing
- 6 tbspraspberry jam
- 100 gicing sugar mixed with 2 tbsp water
- 40 gflaked almonds, toasted
Directions
- Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour, pour on the milk scalded with the vanilla, return to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking hard, until it thickens and boils for 30 seconds. Chill under cling film pressed to the surface.
- Mix flour, sugar, salt and cardamom. Dissolve the yeast in the cold milk, add the eggs and soft butter, and bring together to a shaggy dough. Knead only 2 minutes, wrap, and chill 1 hour. Overworking makes lamination fight you.
- Beat the cold block butter between two sheets of paper into a 20 x 20 cm slab and keep it cold but pliable, the same firmness as the dough.
- Roll the dough to 20 x 40 cm, sit the butter on one half, fold over and seal the edges. Roll out to 60 cm long and give a single letter fold. Chill 45 minutes.
- Repeat the roll-and-fold twice more, chilling 45 minutes between each. Three single folds gives 27 butter layers, which is the Danish standard.
- Roll the finished dough to a 40 x 30 cm rectangle, 4 mm thick, and cut twelve 10 cm squares. Fold each corner into the centre and press firmly to fix it.
- Prove at 24–26°C (75–80°F), no hotter, for 60–90 minutes until visibly puffed and wobbly. Above 27°C (80°F) the butter melts out and you lose the layers.
- Egg wash, press a hollow in the centre, pipe in pastry cream and a teaspoon of jam, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 16–20 minutes until deep gold and crisp underneath.
- Cool 10 minutes, then drizzle with water icing and scatter toasted flaked almonds.
Technique
- Denmark calls them wienerbrod, Vienna bread, because Austrian bakers brought in during the 1850 Copenhagen bakers’ strike introduced laminated yeast dough. Danish bakers then added more butter, more egg and cardamom.
- Everything must stay cold and the same texture. If the butter is harder than the dough it shatters into shards; if it is softer it smears and the layers merge.
- The dough is enriched and sweet, so it browns fast. Bake hot and short rather than low and long, or the sugar burns before the layers dry out.
Substitutions
- No fresh yeast: use 8 g instant dried yeast mixed straight into the flour.
Variations
- Kanelsnegle: roll the dough with remonce, butter creamed with equal sugar and cinnamon, and cut into spirals.
- Tebirkes: fold with marzipan remonce, cut into rectangles and bake under a heavy coat of poppy seeds.
History
Austrian bakers hired during the Copenhagen bakers’ strike of 1850 brought laminated dough; Danes still call the pastry wienerbrød, Viennese bread.
Frequently asked questions
What is Danish pastry?
Danish pastry is a bread & pastry from Denmark: flaky laminated pastry with custard or jam; the original Danish. Austrian bakers hired during the Copenhagen bakers’ strike of 1850 brought laminated dough; Danes still call the pastry wienerbrød, Viennese bread.
How long does Danish pastry take to make?
Danish pastry takes 1 hr plus 3 hr chilling of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 12 spandauer. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Danish pastry?
Yes, within limits. No fresh yeast: use 8 g instant dried yeast mixed straight into the flour.
What is the most important thing to get right in Danish pastry?
Everything must stay cold and the same texture. If the butter is harder than the dough it shatters into shards; if it is softer it smears and the layers merge.
