Danish Pastry – Dough, filling, and shaping

Make your own Danish pastry (also called breakfast pastry) from scratch with a variety of wonderful fillings and shapes. This flaky, buttery, rich pastry is a laminated dough similar to croissants and puff pastry.

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Danish pastries are a type of pastry called Viennese (wienerbrød) in Denmark. They are made with a butter lamination similar to puff pastry and croissants. However, this dough also has yeast, which results in more tender but rich, flaky, buttery pastries with lots of layers.

And, this pastry is a dough that can be used to create many different shapes or varieties of Viennese (pastries) such as these Cream raisins spirals, cinnamon sugar spirals, pinwheels or darts, cheese cylinders, stars, braids, envelops, pockets, combs, squares, horns, etc.

Why make your own Danish?

• The dough – This is a simple yeast-based dough with eggs, butter, and sugar. It can be soft and sticky to work with, so don’t skip the chilling times.
• Butter block – Yes, it is a lot, which we cream with a little flour and then laminate between the dough. And, the purpose of the flour is to help stabilize it. In fact, most professionals often skip the flour, but I recommend you use it.
• The fillings – These pastries can be filled with almost anything. For example, try cream cheese, almond cream, pastry cream, jams, and fruit fillings as well as fresh fruits. In fact, the options are endless.

Step-by-step: How to make Danish pastry

Dough

• Dry ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine flour and salt. And set aside. You can also use a food processor to make this dough.
• Yeast mixture – In a measuring cup or bowl, combine milk, sugar, yeast, egg, and vanilla.
• Wet to dry – Then, add the yeast to the flour mixture. Combine on medium-high until all flour is incorporated. Knead a minute more.
  Pro tip – The dough will be soft and sticky, but do not add any more flour just yet.
• Knead – Then, gradually add the room-temperature butter, one tablespoon at a time. Then, knead for 3 minutes on medium. Alternatively, you can knead by hand for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Rest – The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. Remove from the mixer and shape into a ball. Then, place in an oil bowl and chill for 15 minutes.
  Pro tip – Unless the dough is too soft and sticky, you do not need to add any more flour. Also, if necessary, add a few tablespoons only.

Butter blocks

• Template – Use a piece of parchment paper to create a template 12 x 6 inches (see video), and set aside.
• Cream – In the same bowl of the electric mixer bowl (no need to wash), cream the butter and flour just until combined. Then, transfer to the prepared parchment paper template. Spread evenly with a spatula. Use a rolling pin to guide it inside the template towards the corners (see video).
• Divide – Use a ruler to mark them at 6 inches. So, now this will give you two 6 x 6-inch blocks (see video).
• Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• Pro tip – We want the fat to be cold but still pliable so that, when we roll it will spread. If you chill too long, it will break rather than spread.
• Next, use a piece of parchment paper to create a 12 x 6-inch template (see video) and set it aside.

Laminate the dough

• Roll – Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Then, roll to a long rectangle of 7 x 18 inches.
• Fold – Open the butter block and divide it into 2 at the mark you created. Now you should have two 6-by-6-inch blocks. Place one block over the center. Fold one side over. Then, place the second block on top and fold the other side over.
• Chill – Wrap the dough, place it on a baking sheet, and put it into the refrigerator – chill for 15 minutes.
  Pro tip – if the dough and butter are still cold when you wrap, you can continue with the first fold.

Folds/turns

• Turn the dough – Roll the chilled pastry dough into a rectangle, with the short side facing you. Roll to a rectangle approximately 6 x 12 inches.
• First fold – Fold the dough lengthways into thirds like a business letter (see video). Then, wrap in plastic on a baking sheet and place into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
• Second fold – Roll the dough lengthways again, with the short side facing you (see video), to about 6 x 12 inches. Next, fold the dough into thirds again like a business letter (see video). Then, place in the fridge for 30 minutes if necessary.
• Third fold – Roll the dough lengthways again, with the short side facing you (see video), to about 6 x 12 inches long. Then, fold the dough into thirds again like a business letter (see video).
• Chill – After the third fold, chill in the fridge for at least two hours or until well chilled. This can be chilled for up to 48 hours.
  Pro tip – It is very important that the dough is well chilled before using; otherwise, the layers will blend, ruining all your effort.
• Divide – Roll the dough into a 6 x 12-inch rectangle. Then, divide into 2. Place one in the fridge while you work on the second one.

How to shape Danish pastries

• Roll the dough to about a 12 x 12-inch square. Trim edges so you have straight, sharp edges.
  Pro tip – I roll to about 13 x 13 so I can trim the edges on all sides and get a 12 x 12-inch square. Trimming will open the folds and give a better rise.
• You can use the sheet as a whole or cut it into 3 x 3-inch squares (about 16). Next, mark at 3 inches from either side as shown in the video.
  Pro tip – Place the squares in the fridge to keep them cold. Work with a few at a time, especially if you live in hot and humid conditions.

Pinwheels

• Cut the corners of the square three-quarters of the way towards the center. Then, fold every other point towards the center.
• Press to seal in the center. Pipe a generous dollop of filling in the center.
  Pro tip – These tend to open from the center, so make sure to press firmly in the center.
• Place on a baking tray and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Then, transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Cylinders or fold over

• Pipe a tablespoon of the filling on the square diagonally.
• Next, fold the two sides over each other diagonally (see video). Then, place it on a baking tray and cover it with a clean kitchen cloth. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
  Pro tip – Make sure to press firmly to prevent opening.

Cockscomb

• Place filling in the top half of the square (see video). Fold the other side over. Use water to stick if necessary.
• Next, cut slits so it looks like a comb, and when flared, it bakes like a cockscomb.
• Place on a baking tray and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. 
• Then, transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Kite, frame, or envelope

• Fold the square into a triangle. Then, make two cuts on the outside edge, leaving about 1/4 inch from the edge of the triangle. You just created a frame outside an inner square.
• Open the triangle. Take one side of the frame you created and place it on the other side of the inner square. Then take the other side frame and do the same. The two outer frames you created will overlap, creating a kite shape (see the video and progress pictures).
• Pipe a generous amount of filling in the center. I piped cream cheese and jams, topped with blueberries (see video).
• Place on a baking tray and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Square

• Bring the four corners of the square to meet in the center. Press down to prevent opening.
• Pipe a generous dollop of filling in the center. (see video).
• Place on a baking tray and cover with a clean kitchen cloth.
• Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Stars

• Fold the square into a triangle and cut an edge about 1/2 inch towards the center. Open the triangle and fold it again on the other side, and do the same. So now you have cut edges on all four sides of the square.
• Bring the four corners toward the center. Press down so it won’t open. Pipe a generous dollop of filling in the center (see video).
• Place on a baking tray and cover with a clean kitchen cloth.
• Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Fruit puffs or Apricot puffs

• Use two 3-squares the same size. Using a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut a disc from the center out of one of the squares.
• Place the hollowed center square over the first square using water to stick them together. Pipe a generous dollop of filling in the center. (see video).
• Place on a baking tray and cover with a clean kitchen cloth.
• Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Braid

• Using a utility knife or pizza wheel, cut slanting strips along both sides of the pastry. Leaving the center empty.
• Pipe a generous amount of filling in the center. I used apple filling (see video).
• Braid the pastry by crossing the strips over the filling, overlapping each other (see video).
• Place on a baking tray and cover with a clean kitchen cloth.
• Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

Baking the Danish

• Once you’ve created the pastry shapes and filled them with your choice of filling, let them proof for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F/190 °C/Gas Mark 5. Brush the pastry with a beaten egg.
• Bake in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes until rich, golden brown.
• Cool on the tray for 10 minutes. Then, brush them with the prepared apricot glaze. (below)
• These pastries are best enjoyed on the day they are baked. But they also freeze well.

Danish pastry fillings

Cream cheese spread

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Pastry Cream

• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the egg yolks, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine until smooth. Gradually add the milk and cream, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps.
• Then, place on medium heat – cook, stirring continuously, until thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a sieve or mesh to remove any curdled eggs.
• Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the surface of the pastry cream to prevent skin from forming. Chill in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours.
  Pro tip – Pastry cream must be made in advance and cooled thoroughly, otherwise it will warm the dough.

Frangipani almond filling

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
• Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Apricot glaze

• In a saucepan, heat the apricot jam and water on low heat until dissolved. Strain through a sieve – set aside until ready to use. If necessary, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds before using it.

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• Danish Pastry – Cream Cheese Cylinders
• Danish Pastry Pinwheels
• Raisin Danish Pastry – Pain Au Raisin
• Types of Pastry
• Choux Pastry Recipe

Frequently asked questions