Danish Pastry – Basic Dough

Makes: 12 / 24 / 36 Danish Pastries    Oven: 220 °C / 425 °F
Preparation Time: 1 hour    Baking Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Ingredients

Small – Makes: 12 Pastries

240 g Cake flour ( 2 x 250 ml / 2 cups )
2 ml Salt ( ¼ tsp )
30 ml Sugar ( 2 tbsp )
30 g Butter
10 g Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
80 ml Lukewarm milk ( ⅓ cup )
1 Large egg, beaten
5 ml Lemon juice ( 1 tsp )
100 g Butter, divided into 7 pieces

Medium – Makes: 24 Pastries

360 g Cake flour ( 3 x 250 ml / 3 cups )
2 ml Salt ( ¼ tsp )
45 ml Sugar ( 3 tbsp )
30 g Butter
10 g Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
180 ml Lukewarm milk ( ¾ cup )
1 Large egg, beaten
5 ml Lemon juice ( 1 tsp )
200 g Butter, divided into 7 pieces

Large – Makes: 36 Pastries

720 g Cake flour ( 6 x 250 ml / 6 cups )
5 ml Salt ( 1 tsp )
60 ml Sugar ( 4 tbsp )
45 g Butter ( 3 tbsp )
10 g Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
375 ml Lukewarm milk ( 1½ cup )
2 Large eggs, beaten
10 ml Lemon juice ( 2 tsp )
375 g Butter, divided into 7 pieces

Sealing Of Danish Pastry

Use lightly beaten egg white

Glaze

Mix 250 ml ( 1 cup ) sugar with 125 ml (½ cup) water and bring to the boil, whilst stirring. Boil for 5 minutes. Refrigerate and use when required.

Glacé Icing

Mix 130 g ( 250 ml / 1 cup ) icing sugar with 45 ml ( 3 tbsp ) water until a smooth, dripping consistency.

Method

  1. Mix flour, salt and sugar together and rub the small amount of butter into the flour. Add the Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
  2. Mix milk, beaten egg and lemon juice together and add liquid to form soft dough.
  3. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place dough into a plastic bag and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  5. Divide the rest of the butter into 7 equal pieces.
  6. Roll the dough out into a rectangle and dot two-thirds of the dough with 1 piece of butter. Fold the un-dotted third over the middle third. Fold the remaining third over the folded dough.
  7. 3 FOLD – form 3 layers starting from the bottom.
    Step 1: Fold the uncovered third over 1 third of the dotted area (away from the body) Turn dough 90º to the right.
    Step 2: Fold the last third over the already folded dough (towards the body) ⅔ – dotted with butter
  8. Seal the edges well and turn the dough by 90º to the right. The dough should be in 3 layers and in the shape of a rectangle.
  9. Roll the dough once more into a rectangle and fold in three, always folding the bottom end away from you and the top end towards you. Seal the edges and turn by 90º to the right.
  10. Place the dough into the plastic bag, not turning it around or over. Rest the pastry in the fridge for 15 minutes. Repeat step 6 -9 for 6 more times with 15 minute resting intervals in the fridge. Allow to stand overnight. Danish pastry is best when left overnight. Remove the next day and allow the pastry to reach room temperature, but still cold. Don’t allow the dough to become warm, as the butter will then melt.
  11. Roll the pastry into a large square. Cut the pastry into 10 cm strips and follow the description for the Danish shapes as below.
  12. Place on a lightly greased baking tray, cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 20 – 25 minutes.
  13. Brush lightly with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C / 425°F for 15 – 20 minutes, or until light brown.

Danish Shapes

Bows:
Cut 10 cm squares. Place 5 ml selected filling in the centre. Brush the 2 opposite corners with egg white. Fold 1 corner over filling and overlap the other on top and seal.

Bundles:
Cut 10 cm squares. Place 5 ml selected filling in the centre. Brush the 4 corners with egg white. Fold corners towards middle to overlap on each other and seal.

Victorias:
Cut 10 cm squares. Fold the square into a triangle. Cut on both sides, from the fold side towards the corner – keeping at least 1 cm clear from the corner. Lift the top section and open flat, back to a square. Brush the inside square with egg white. Transfer strip 1 onto the other side of the square and strip 2 onto the opposite side of the square, ensuring that the edges line up. Fill the middle section with custard and fruit of choice.

Windmills:
Cut 10 cm squares. Cut diagonally from each corner into the centre, leaving the centre intact. Brush one corner with egg white and fold dough to the centre. Skip next corner and repeat previous step until complete. Fill centre with custard and fruit.

Pigs Ears:
Cut a strip of dough about 10 cm wide and 20 cm in length. Brush lightly with egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll each end toward the middle, until they meet. Press into an oval shape and cut into slices. Place onto a baking tray and flatten with the hand.

Pinwheels:
Follow the steps for Pigs Ears but roll up from one side only. Cut into slices, place onto baking tray and flatten slightly.

Fans:
Shape into a roll and cut 3 cm pieces. Use a wooden spoon and press each piece down in the centre, until the spirals fan out.
Sides will open and form a fan.

Combs:
Roll pastry into a rectangle and cut into 10 cm strips. Place filling down the centre of each strip. Brush edges with egg white and fold one edge over the filling onto the other edge. Seal with a fork. Cut into the folded side with scissors – keeping the sealed edge intact. Open and shape into a comb.

Apple Danish:
Cut even amounts of rectangles. Place filling onto half the rectangles. Brush the edges with egg white and cover with another rectangle. Seal the edges with a fork. Cut slits across the top.

Bow Ties:
Cut rectangles 15 cm x 6 cm. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Fold one end toward the middle, dividing the pastry into 3 sections. Fold last third over and now 3 layer have been formed. Cut down the centre of the folded pastry, lengthwise. Take the right end and place it into the opening, pulling it toward the left end.

Croissants

Makes: 24 Croissants    Oven: 220 °C / 425 °F
Preparation Time: 1 hour    Baking Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Ingredients

720 g Cake flour ( 6 x 250 ml / 6 cups )
5 ml Salt ( 1 tsp )
60 ml Sugar ( 4 tbsp )
45 g Butter ( 3 tbsp )
10 g Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
375 ml Lukewarm milk ( 1½ cup )
2 Large eggs, beaten
10 ml Lemon juice ( 2 tsp )
375 g Butter, divided into 7 pieces

Filling

250 g Baking or cooking chocolate,
coarsely chopped ( optional )

Method

  1. Mix flour, salt and sugar together and rub the 45 g of butter into the flour. Add the Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
  2. Mix milk, beaten egg and lemon juice together and add liquid to form a soft dough.
  3. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place dough into a greased plastic bag and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  5. Divide the rest of the butter into 7 equal pieces.
  6. Roll the dough out into a rectangle and dot two thirds of the dough with 1 piece of butter. Fold the un-dotted third over the middle third. Fold the remaining third over the folded dough.
  7. Seal the edges well and turn the dough 90 º to the right. The dough should be in 3 layers and in the shape of a rectangle.
  8. Roll the dough once more into a rectangle and fold in three, always folding the bottom end away from you and the top end towards you. Seal the edges and turn the dough 90º to the right.
  9. Place the dough into the plastic bag, not turning it around or over. Rest the pastry in the fridge for 15 minutes. Repeat step 6 – 9 for 6 more times with 15 minutes resting intervals in the fridge.
  10. Allow to stand overnight. Danish pastry is best when left overnight. Remove the next day and allow the pastry to reach room temperature, but still cold. Don’t allow the dough to become warm, as the butter will then melt.
  11. Roll the pastry into a large rectangle. Cut the pastry into 15 cm strips.
  12. Make 10 cm markings on the one side of a strip and start with an indent of 5 cm on the other side. Thereafter continue with 10 cm markings, as per the previous side.
  13. Line up the markings with a zig-zag diagram and cut triangles. Sprinkle each with chocolate.
  14. Start from the wide side and roll the pastry up towards the point of the triangle, using the middle finger to apply pressure.
  15. Place on a lightly greased baking tray with the point tucked away securely.
  16. Cover and rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Brush lightly with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C / 425°F for 15 – 20 minutes, or until light brown.

Danish Fruit & Nut Cake

Makes: 1 Danish Fruit and Nut Cake    Oven: 180 °C / 350 °F
Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes    Baking Time: 25 – 30 minutes

Ingredients

360 g Cake flour ( 3 x 250 ml / 3 cups )
5 ml Salt ( 1 tsp )
60 ml Sugar ( 4 tbsp )
250 g Butter
10 g Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
80 ml Lukewarm water
2 Large eggs, beaten
Beaten egg, to brush

Filling

125 g Smooth cream cheese ( ½ tub )
100 g Castor sugar ( 125 ml / ½ cup )
100 g Glazed fruit ( 250 ml / 1 cup ), chopped
100 g Peacan nuts ( 1 packet ), chopped
Egg, to brush

Glaze

100 g Sugar  (250 ml / 1 cup )
125 ml Water ( ½ cup )
Icing sugar, to dust ( optional )

Method

  1. Mix the flour, salt and sugar together.
  2. Rub the butter into the mixture, keeping aside a few pieces of butter. Don’t rub in too finely to resemble breadcrumbs (should be coarse).
  3. Add the Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
  4. Mix the water and beaten eggs together, add to the flour mixture and mix gently to form a crumbly dough.
  5. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with greased plastic and refrigerate for 12 – 24 hours.
  6. Mix all the ingredients for the filling until smooth
    and keep cold.
  7. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a thickness of about
    5 mm, about 30 x 25 cm. (Sprinkle flour onto the work surface as well as onto the pastry, if necessary).
  8. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the pastry. Roll the pastry up, starting with the wide side and place it with the seal towards to bottom, onto a greased baking tray.
  9. Measure out 2.5 cm in the middle of the dough and leave uncut. Then cut the dough on either side of the 2.5 cm right through
    (full length of dough). Lift the cut ends and turn cut side up to form butterfly wings.
  10. Cover with greased plastic and allow to rise in a warm place for
    20 to 30 minutes.
  11. Brush gently and evenly with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 180 ˚C / 350 ˚F for 25 – 30 minutes.
  12. Dissolve the sugar in the water and allow the mixture to heat slowly, stirring continuously. Allow to simmer for
    5 minutes, until slightly thick.
  13. Brush the pastry, whilst still warm, with the glaze, for a shiny finish. Allow to cool completely and dust lightly with icing sugar.

Danish Hazelnut Parcels

Makes: 24 Hazelnut Parcels    Oven: 180 °C / 350 °F
Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes    Baking Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Ingredients

360 g Cake flour ( 3 x 250 ml / 3 cups )
5 ml Salt ( 1 tsp )
60 ml Sugar ( 4 tbsp )
250 g Butter
10 g Anchor Instant Yeast ( 1 packet )
80 ml Lukewarm water
2 Large eggs, beaten
Beaten egg, to brush

Filling

100 g Ground hazelnuts or almonds
30 ml Castor sugar ( 2 tbsp )
5 ml Cinnamon ( 1 tsp )
30 ml Syrup or honey ( 2 tbsp )
30 g Butter

Topping

100 g Dark baking chocolate, melted
Icing sugar, to dust

Method

  1. Mix the flour, salt and sugar together.
  2. Rub the butter into the mixture, keeping aside a few pieces of butter. Don’t rub in too finely to resemble breadcrumbs
    (should be coarse).
  3. Add the Anchor Instant Yeast and mix.
  4. Mix the water and beaten eggs together, add to the flour mixture and mix gently to form a crumbly dough.
  5. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with greased plastic and refrigerate for 12 – 24 hours.
  6. Mix all the ingredients for the filling until smooth and keep cold.
  7. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5 mm. (Sprinkle flour onto the work surface as well as onto the pastry, if necessary)
  8. Cut the pastry into strips of 10 cm and then cut squares of 10 cm x 10 cm. Place a spoonful of filling onto each square and wet the corners with water. Fold the corners up to form a parcel and seal well.
  9. Cut small shapes – leaves, squares or rounds with a cookie cutter, wet the top of the parcel and place on top to
    finish off neatly.
  10. Place pastries on a lightly greased baking tray, cover with greased plastic and rise in a warm place for 15 – 20 minutes.
  11. Brush gently and evenly with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 180 ˚C / 350 ˚F for 15 – 20 minutes
  12. Drizzle with melted chocolate and dust with icing sugar.

Hint:

This easy Danish Pastry can be
used for any of the pastry recipes,
including Croissants.

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