Danish Pastry Recipe
Danish · Dessert · 65 min total
Flaky, buttery Danish pastry with a sweet filling, perfect for breakfast or brunch. This recipe uses a simplified laminated dough technique for home bakers.
45
min prep
min prep
20
min cook
min cook
12
servings
servings
310
kcal/serving
kcal/serving
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup almond paste or fruit jam
- 1 egg yolk for wash
- 2 tablespoons pearl sugar for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces.
- Mix egg with cold water, then add to flour mixture. Stir until dough just comes together. Turn onto a floured surface and knead gently a few times to form a rough rectangle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- On a floured surface, roll dough into a 10x15-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter, then rotate 90 degrees and roll again to same size. Repeat folding and rolling 3 more times, chilling dough if it becomes too soft.
- After final fold, wrap dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll chilled dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares (3x3 inches). Place a teaspoon of almond paste or jam in the center of each square.
- Fold corners of each square to the center, pinching to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic, and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Brush pastries with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Tips
- Keep butter cold for flaky layers; chill dough if it gets sticky.
- Pastries are best served warm on the day they are made.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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