Danish Pastry Braid Food

DANISH PASTRY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 2/3 cup of flour. Divide into 2 equal parts, and roll each half between 2 pieces of waxed paper into a 6 x12 inch sheet. Refrigerate.
• In a large bowl, mix together the dry yeast and 3 cups of the remaining flour. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and salt. Heat to 115 degrees F (43 degrees C), or just warm, but not hot to the touch. Mix the warm milk mixture into the flour and yeast along with the eggs, and lemon and almond extracts. Stir for 3 minutes. Knead in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is firm and pliable. Set aside to rest until double in size.
• Cut the dough in half, and roll each half out to a 14 inch square. Place one sheet of the cold butter onto each piece of dough, and fold the dough over it like the cover of a book. Seal edges by pressing with fingers. Roll each piece out to a 20x 12 inch rectangle, then fold into thirds by folding the long sides in over the center. Repeat rolling into a large rectangle, and folding into thirds. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove from the refrigerator one at a time, and roll and fold each piece two more times. Return to the refrigerator to chill again before shaping. If the butter gets too warm, the dough will become difficult to manage.
• To make danishes, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. The dough can be cut into squares, with a filling placed in the center. Fold 2 of the corners over the center to form a filled diamond shape. Or, fold the piece in half, cut into 1 inch strips, stretch, twist and roll into a spiral. Place a dollop of preserves or other filling in the center. Place danishes on an ungreased baking sheet, and let rise until doubled. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Danishes can be brushed with egg white for a shiny finish.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottoms are golden brown.

DANISH PASTRY BRAID

Steps:

• Quick Method Danish Pastry:
• Measure 3 1/2 cups flour into a bowl or work bowl of food processor with steel blade in place. Cut the butter into 1/4-inch slices and add to the flour. Process or cut the butter into the flour until the butter is about the size of kidney beans.
• In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the cream or milk, cardamom, salt, eggs, and sugar.
• Turn the flour-butter mixture into the liquid ingredients, and with a rubber spatula mix carefully just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, overnight, or up to 4 days.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board; dust with flour. Pound and flatten to make a 16- to 20-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds, making 3 layers. Turn dough around and roll out again. Fold from the short sides into thirds. This should result in a perfect square. Repeat folding and rolling again if you wish.
• Wrap and chill the dough 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
• To make the Danish Pastry Braid:
• Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease and flour them.
• Divide the chilled dough into 2 parts. Roll each part out to make a rectangle 12 by 6 inches. Place these strips on the prepared baking sheets.
• To make the filling, cream the butter and sugar until light. Blend in the almond extract, almonds, almond paste, and egg white.
• Spread filling down the length of the center of the strips. Cut slanting strips at 3/4-inch intervals along both sides up toward the center using a pastry wheel. Fold strips over the filling in a crisscross manner
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Let strips rise for 15 to 30 minutes, just until the pastry strips look puffy; they will not double.
• To make a glaze, beat the egg with the milk or water. Brush the pastry lightly with it. Sprinkle the sugar and/or sliced almonds over the top.
• Bake about 15 minutes or until golden.
• Frost, if desired, with almond-water icing. Blend the sugar, water, and almond extract until smooth and thin enough to drizzle over the braids.

APPLE DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Place a large pot or deep skillet over high heat. Melt 3 Tbsp butter and stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Add sliced apples and stir until evenly coated. Add cranberries and let the mixture sit 3 min to caramelize before stirring. Cook apples and cranberries a total of 6-7 min, stirring 3 times or until apples are lightly caramelized. Transfer apples to a plate and let cool until just warm (not hot).
• Unfold thawed pastry over a lightly floured work surface and roll it in one direction to make it a total of 2 inches longer. The natural folds in the pastry will guide your process.
• Place the cranberry apple filling down the center of the pastry, keeping it in the middle third and leaving 1" of space at the top and bottom of the pastry.
• Cut away the top corners from the left and right thirds of the. Cut 8 equal 1" strips along each side, leaving 1/2" of space from the apples. Cut away excess dough at the bottom corners.
• Fold down top flap of dough and pinch the corners down to seal. Fold in the side strips, alternating from left to right. Fold up the bottom flap, pinching the corners to seal then finish folding in the last 2 side strips, pinching the corners to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake at 400˚F for 18-22 minutes (mine was perfect at 20 min) or until top is golden brown.
• To make the glaze, stir together 1/3 cup powdered sugar with 1/2 Tbsp milk. Once the braided apple danish is at room temperature or just warm, drizzle with glaze, slice, and enjoy!

APPLE DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended. Add egg mixing until smooth.
• Unroll 1 pkg. of crescent dough; do not separate.
• Arrange longest sides of dough across width of 12" x 15" baking pan. Repeat with remaining pkg. of dough. Work dough to seal perforations. (or use recipe creations, which isn't scored).
• On longest side of baking pan, cut dough into strips 1-1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep using pizza cutter (there will be 6 inches in the center for the filling).
• Spread half of cream cheese mixture evenly over middle of dough.
• Cut apple slices crosswise in half; evenly arrange apple slices over cream cheese mixture.
• Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.
• Scoop remaining cream cheese mixture over apples; sprinkle with pecans. To braid: lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn.
• Continue alternating strips to form a braid.
• Tuck ends under to seal at end of braid.
• Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown.
• Remove from oven; brush with syrup using pastry brush. Cut & serve.

DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Danish Dough: Pour water into a large bowl, sprinkle over.
• yeast and let soften for a minute.
• Add milk, egg, sugar and salt.
• Whisk to mix. Set aside.
• Put flour into food processor, add butter and pulse (8-10 times) until butter is cut into pieces 1/2 inch diameter- no smaller.
• Empty contents of food processor into the bowl with the yeast mixture.
• Very gently turn the mixture over with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Butter must remain in discrete pieces.
• Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight (or up to 4 days).
• Lightly flour work surface, turn the dough out and lightly flour the dough.
• Pat into a rough square.
• Note: If at anytime the dough becomes too soft, cover with plastic and chill.
• Roll out to 16" x 16".
• Fold in thirds like a business letter and turn so that the closed fold is on your left.
• Roll again to 10" x 24".
• Fold in thirds again, turn so the closed fold is on your left.
• Roll into a 20" x 20" square.
• Fold the square in thirds and turn so that the closed fold is on your left.
• Roll into a 10" x 20' rectangle, fold in thirds again.
• Wrap dough in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days).
• Dough can be frozen for 1 month.
• Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
• Danish-almond filling: Put almonds, sugar and butter into food processor.
• Process until almonds are finely ground, scraping bowl as necessary.
• Add almond extract and 2 Tbsp of the beaten egg white.
• Process until mixed.
• Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until needed (up to 1 week).
• Bring to room temperature before using.
• Danish-Berry Jam Filling: Stir berries and sugar together in saucepan.
• Cook on low, stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed and filling is glossy.
• (Can be done in microwave) Stir in lemon juice.
• Scrape filling into a small container and cool to room temperature.
• Seal container and chill.
• Will keep refrigerated for 1 week.
• Danish Braid assembly: Divide Danish dough in half.
• Roll each chilled danish dough half on lightly floured surface to a 10" x 16" rectangle.
• Lift on to a parchment lined half sheet pan.
• Spread some of the fruit filling down the middle third of the dough.
• Top with some of the cream or almond filling.
• Note:you may not need the entire amount of either filling Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut 12- 14 slanting lines down each side angling cuts from the center to the edge and cutting strips about 3/4 inch wide.
• Fold strips of pastry into the center, crisscrossing the filling by alternating strips from each side.
• Lightly press ends to seal and run your hands along the sides of the pastry to straighten.
• Brush with egg white, sprinkle with sugar and almonds.
• Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until it looks and feels puffy.
• About 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Bake in center of oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.
• Cool slightly Stir coffee and powdered sugar together to produce a smooth shiny glaze.
• Spoon glaze into a zip-loc bag, seal top and snip corner with scissors to create a pastry bag.
• Squeeze squiggles of glaze over pastry and allow to set.
• Serve.
• Notes: you can use other Danish fillings as well.
• Such as:.
• Danish- Cream Cheese Filling (recipe #54153).
• Danish-Prune Filling (recipe #54152).
• Danish-Confectioners Cream filling (recipe #54151).
• Danish-Apricot Filling (recipe #54150).

ALMOND DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Thaw puff pastry dough as directed on package. This should take about 30-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
• Open puff pastry sheet on a wooden cutting board and lay flat.
• Using a pizza cutter, cut 2" long strips on either side of center, making them about 1" wide. You should have 8 or 9 strips on each side when done.
• Remove the strips on each corner, leaving the center intact to fold over filling.
• Brush melted butter on center of dough.
• Top butter with 1/2 can almond filling and spread evenly.
• Beginning at one end, fold over center flap to cover filling.
• Fold over the top strip at a slight angle. Repeat with opposite side. Proceed with remaining strips until you reach the bottom set of strips.
• Fold over the center flap on the bottom then fold over the last two strips.
• Using a large spatula, move braid to cookie sheet.
• Repeat with remaining puff pastry and filling to make second braid.
• Whisk egg in a small bowl and brush on top of braids.
• Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
• While pastry is baking, mix all ingredients for almond or vanilla icing together. Add more confectioner's sugar if you need to thicken it or more cream if it needs to be thinner. It should be a good consistency to drizzle over braid.
• Remove cookie sheets to wire rack and immediately drizzle icing over braids. Sprinkle on sliced almonds.
• Makes 2 braids.

DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Roll the dough to a 12-inch square and place on paper-lined sheet pan. Mark dough into 3 strips, each 4 inches wide and 12 inches long. Slash the two outermost strips diagonally at 1/2-inch intervals, making downward slashes. Spread the filling on the center strip. Fold the slashed pastry over the center strip, alternating a slash from each side. Proof 50 percent. Brush the egg white on the pastry and strew with the sliced almonds. Bake it at 400 degrees about 15 minutes. Cool and drizzle with warm water icing.