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Danish pastry

Homemade apple Danish pastries served on white plate
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Ready to tackle the flakiest, most buttery pastry of your life? This guide breaks down the classic Danish, making those incredible, professional-looking layers totally achievable at home. It takes some patience, but the delicious reward is so worth it!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough:

  • 250g Bread Flour
  • 4g Instant Yeast
  • 35g Granulated Sugar
  • 5g Salt
  • 115ml Whole Milk, lukewarm
  • 1 large Egg, room temperature
  • 15g Unsalted Butter, melted

For the Butter Block:

  • 135g High-Quality Unsalted Butter, cold

Instructions

  1. Make the Dough: In a mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the lukewarm milk, egg, and melted butter. Knead with a dough hook for 4 minutes until a soft ball forms. (Or knead by hand for 6-8 minutes).
  2. First Rest: Place the dough in a bowl, cover, and let it rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
  3. Chill the Dough: Gently deflate the dough and roll it into a 5” x 10” rectangle. Wrap it and freeze for 20 minutes.
  4. Prep the Butter Block: While the dough chills, shape the cold butter into a 4.5” x 4.5” square inside a folded piece of parchment paper. Chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes. It should be firm but slightly bendable.
  5. Lock in the Butter: Place the butter block in the center of your chilled dough. Fold the top and bottom flaps of dough over the butter to completely seal it inside.
  6. First Fold (Book Fold): Roll the dough out to a 7” x 14” rectangle. Fold the top and bottom edges to meet at the center, then fold the entire slab in half like a book. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
  7. Second Fold (Letter Fold): Turn the dough 90 degrees. Roll it out again to 7” x 14”. Fold it into thirds, like a business letter. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
  8. Third Fold & Final Chill: Repeat the letter fold one more time. Wrap and chill for at least 1 more hour or overnight.
  9. Shape & Bake: Your dough is ready! Cut and shape as desired, add your favorite filling, let it proof until puffy, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 40 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp.

Notes

  1. Tips for Success:
    • Keep It Cold! Cold dough and cold (but not brittle) butter are the secret to creating separate, flaky layers. Do not rush the chilling times.
    • Better Butter, Better Pastry: Using a European-style butter with a high fat content (>82%) will give you the best flavor and the crispiest texture.
    • Patience is Key: This recipe is a journey. Trust the process, and you’ll be rewarded!
  2. Serving Suggestions:These pastries are heavenly when served warm. Drizzle with a simple powdered sugar icing or enjoy with a fresh cup of coffee.
  3. Storage & Reheating:
    • Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
    • Reheat: To bring back that amazing crunch, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes.
    • Freeze: You can freeze shaped, unbaked pastries and bake them later (just let them proof first). You can also freeze fully baked pastries and reheat them directly from the freezer.

Find it online: https://recipesh.com/danish-pastry/