Danish Pastry Dough

Danish pastries are laminated pastries – multi-layered – and are usually filled with sweet fruit or cream cheese pastries. This recipe is from a 1958 booklet “Breads and Sandwiches” and is nicely flavored with lemon, vanilla, and a little mace.

Danish Pastry Dough

Renee Shelton

The original recipe called for shortening in the liquid ingredients, and shortening in the lamination. I think whole butter would improve the flavor of the dough.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

Danish Dough

• 1 package dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water, 95-110 degrees F.
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1 cup scaled milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/4 teaspoon mace
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup soft butter

Sugar Glaze

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 3 to 4 teaspoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon desired flavoring (vanilla, lemon, etc.) optional

Instructions

 

• Sprinkle yeast over the warm water, stir until dissolved.
• Mix sugar, salt, 1/4 cup soft butter, and milk in a large bowl. Stir until blended, and let cool until lukewarm. Beat in the eggs, add yeast mixture, extracts, mace, and 3 cups flour. Mix until smooth. Add in enough flour to make a soft, easy to handle dough.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
• Light flour a work surface, and roll out dough until you get a 1/3 inch square. Dot with 1/2 cup of soft butter. Fold dough in half, and seal edges. Dot with the rest of the butter, seal edges, and fold in half again.
• Roll out dough to 1/3 inch thick square. Fold in half lengthwise, then crosswise. Repeat rolling and folding 3 more times. Place folded dough onto a greased baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let stand 20 minutes.
• Roll out dough to 1/3 inch thick. Cut and shape into desired pastries.
• Place the pasties on a baking sheet. Cover, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size. Brush lightly with beaten egg, and bake at 450 degrees F, for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until done.
• Drizzle with a sugar glaze, if desired.