Custard Cherry Caramelised Pecan Danish Pastries Food

DANISH PASTRIES

Steps:

• Pulse together the dry ingredients plus 2 tsp salt in a processor, then pulse in the milk and egg, plus 100ml water, until you have a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 1 min, using a little flour, until just smooth. Put into an oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr until doubled in size (overnight in the fridge if you like).
• Flour your surface, then pat the dough out to a rectangle, 1cm thick. Lay the butter slices out over the middle of the dough, in a rectangle. Fold the pastry over the top, bottom and then sides until the butter is completely hidden. Press the edges down.
• Roll the dough out to a 50 x 30cm rectangle, first tapping out the dough with the rolling pin in gentle ridges, so that you can tell the butter is being squashed out evenly inside the pastry, before rolling properly. Turn dough 90 degrees, then fold the right third over and the left third over that. Do this three times, chilling for 15 mins after each roll.
• Cut the dough in half, into 2 squares. Roll one piece of dough to 35 x 35cm. Cut into 9 squares, then follow the instructions below for each filling and shape. If you want to make more than one shape, it's easy to divide the filling quantity. Don't worry if your squares rise as you work, just roll them out a bit again.
• To make 18 pecan pinwheels, whizz 85g pecans until fine, then stir in 50g light muscovado, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 25g softened butter. Cut each square of pastry almost to the middle from each corner, spoon on 1 tsp filling, then fold each point over and press into the middle. Scatter more chopped pecans and a little sugar over before baking. Drizzle with a little maple syrup to serve.
• For 18 apricot custard turnovers, you will need 150g tub custard, 2 x 320g cans apricots and a few tsps apricot jam. Put 2 tsp custard in the middle, sit two apricot halves on top, dot with jam, then pull 2 corners over and pinch to seal.
• To make 18 raisin swirls, mix 50g raisins, 25g caster sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice and 50g soft butter. Instead of cutting the dough into 9, leave it whole and spread the filling over. Roll up, slice into 9 rounds, then squash each one. Blend 50g icing sugar and a few drops of water to drizzle over once baked.
• Once shaped and filled, let the pastries rise for 30 mins until puffed and doubled in size. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush with beaten egg, make sure you pinch any edges together again, then bake for about 20 mins until golden and risen.

DANISH CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Beat 6 egg whites and 12 egg yolks with the sugar for 15 minutes at low speed with an electric beater.
• Add the cream and vanilla.
• Melt enough brown sugar in some water to line the bottom of a baking dish.
• Pour the batter over this and bake in a hot water bath for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until set (jello like texture/jiggle) in 250F oven.
• Whip the other 6 egg whites with a little sugar until stiff but not dry.
• Spread over the dish of custard.
• Raise oven heat to 425°F.
• Return baking dish to oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.

CARAMELIZED BAKED CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Lightly grease a 1 quart baking dish or 4 ramekins.
• Fill a 9x13 pan (or any shallow pan large enough to hold the baking dish) with 1 inch of hot water and set it in the oven.
• **To caramelize the sugar: Melt the sugar in a heavy bottomed skillet without stirring. Swirl the sugar in the pan as it melts till caramel colored.
• Pour about 1 tablespoons caramelized sugar into each ramekin, or all into baking dish and quickly swirl around to coat bottom and partly up sides.
• The caramel will harden, but the custard will soften it as it bakes.
• Beat the eggs together, then add the sugar and salt.
• Slowly stir in the hot milk, stirring constantly.
• Add the vanilla and coconut, if using.
• Strain into the baking dish (if desired).
• I usually just pour it all inches.
• Sprinkle the top with nutmeg.
• Put into the pan with hot water.
• Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.