Danish Pastry Dough

Let's Cook

1. Step 1.

   Place on a work surface: 2 sticks (8 oz or 225g) cold unsalted butter

2. Step 2.

   Measure: 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3. Step 3.

   Sprinkle the butter with a little of the flour and begin to beat it with a rolling pin. Scrape the butter from the work surface and the rolling pin as needed and fold it over itself into a heap. Continue to work the butter until it is a smooth and malleable mass. Knead the rest of the flour into the butter with your hands, working quickly to keep the butter cold. Place the butter on a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into an 8 × 5 ½-inch rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate the butter while you make the dough.

4. Step 4.

   Whisk together in a small bowl and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes: ½ cup (120g) warm (105° to 115°F) whole milk; 1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast; 1 tablespoon (10g) sugar

5. Step 5.

   Mix together in a large bowl: 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, softened

6. Step 6.

   Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the yeast mixture into it. Mix lightly with a fork to form a thin batter in the well. Beat together and add to the well: 1 large egg; 1 large egg yolk

7. Step 7.

   Then mix with a fork or your fingers to make a dough. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few seconds, until smooth. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

8. Step 8.

   Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out into a 14 × 8-inch rectangle, sprinkling additional flour underneath it as needed to prevent sticking. Position the dough so that one of the short sides is facing you. Cover the upper two-thirds of the dough with the rectangle of butter, leaving a 1-inch border of dough on the sides and at the top. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the butter. Fold the top third of the dough, with the butter on it, down over the first third, as if you were folding a business letter. Press the edges of the dough together on all 3 open sides to seal in the butter. Rotate the dough so that the folded edge is on the left and the sealed edge is on the right.

9. Step 9.

   Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and press it gently with the rolling pin to flatten it slightly. Keeping the short side of the rectangle facing you, roll into a 16 × 8-inch rectangle. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down again. (This rolling and folding is called a single turn.) Rotate the dough so that the folded edge is on the left and the open edge is on the right (like a book about to be opened). Give the dough one more single turn, rolling it into a 16 × 8-inch rectangle and folding it in thirds. Sprinkle the work surface lightly with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. If at any time the butter gets soft, refrigerate the dough for 10 to 15 minutes. Mark the dough with 2 finger imprints, to remind yourself that you have given the dough 2 turns. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

10. Step 10.

    Give the dough 2 more single turns, always making sure that the folded edge is on the left and the open edge is on the right before beginning the next roll. Make 4 imprints, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

11. Step 11.

    Give the dough a final single turn, wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. (At this point, the dough can be frozen or refrigerated overnight. Before freezing, wrap in plastic, then foil, then airtight in a zip-top bag; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.)

12. Step 12.

    For classic square danishes, roll the dough into an 18 × 9-inch rectangle and cut into eighteen 3-inch squares. Lightly brush the squares with: 1 large egg, lightly beaten

13. Step 13.

    Bring each corner into the center, pressing them into the middle so they stick. Place a scant tablespoon of any of the following in the center of each square: 2 cups any coffee cake filling, filling for Sweet Cheese Blintzes, Frangipane, or jam

14. Step 14.

    Place the danishes 2 to 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Let rise until puffy, 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

15. Step 15.

    For pinwheels, see the illustration, below. Roll the dough out into an 18 × 9-inch rectangle. Cut into eighteen 3-inch squares. Lightly brush the squares with egg, as above, and make a 1 ½-inch slit from each corner toward the center. Starting at the bottom left, fold one corner of each triangle to the center and press it down, forming a pinwheel. Place a scant tablespoon of any filling listed above in the center, and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Place the pinwheels 2 to 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Let rise until puffy, 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

16. Step 16.

    For spirals, divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a 17 × 12-inch rectangle. Spread a thin layer of filling over each rectangle of dough, leaving a ¼-inch border on all sides. Roll the dough into a log, starting on one long side. Place the log seam side down on a buttered baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. Place each log on a cutting board and trim the ends by ½ inch. Cut each log into sixteen 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices 2 to 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Let rise until puffy, 30 to 60 minutes. Brush the pastries with beaten egg and bake at 375°F until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.