DANISH PASTRY BRAID
When Beatrice Ojakangas published *The Great Scandinavian Baking Book* in 1988, she won a lot of fans-including Julia Child-who asked Ojakangas to be on her television show. There Ojakangas demonstrated how to make this simplified version of traditional cardamom-scented Danish pastry.
Provided by Beatrice Ojankangas
Categories Pastry Dessert Christmas Almond
Yield Makes 2 filled braids
Number Of Ingredients 26
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.
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Mandi Updates
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was a bit of a challenge to make, but it was worth it! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so impressive to serve to
Sharon Cole
[email protected]I was so excited to try this Danish pastry braid recipe, and it did not disappoint! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I wil
Akah Belvijue
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was absolutely delicious! The pastry was flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I will definitely be making this again so
Jarvis Jones
[email protected]I made this Danish pastry braid for a brunch party and it was a huge success! Everyone loved it. The pastry was so light and fluffy, and the filling was the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone lo
kaveesha gaveesha
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was a bit of a challenge to make, but it was worth it! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so impressive to serve to
Ben Garza
[email protected]I made this Danish pastry braid for my family for breakfast, and they loved it! The pastry was so light and fluffy, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I will def
Karinathapamagar Karinathapamagar
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was a bit of a challenge to make, but it was worth it! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so impressive to serve to
Fahad Awan
[email protected]I was so excited to try this Danish pastry braid recipe, and it did not disappoint! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I wil
Sajal Gharami
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was absolutely delicious! The pastry was flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I will definitely be making this again so
Tota El3asal
[email protected]I made this Danish pastry braid for a brunch party and it was a huge success! Everyone loved it. The pastry was so light and fluffy, and the filling was the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone lo
Frank Cleark
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was a bit of a challenge to make, but it was worth it! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so impressive to serve to
Jeremiah Unaegbu
[email protected]I made this Danish pastry braid for my family for breakfast, and they loved it! The pastry was so light and fluffy, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I will def
NA Mahi
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was a bit of a challenge to make, but it was worth it! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so impressive to serve to
Rinthujan Rinthujan
[email protected]I was so excited to try this Danish pastry braid recipe, and it did not disappoint! The pastry was so flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I wil
Candy Wilson
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was absolutely delicious! The pastry was flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I loved the way the braid looked when it was finished, and it was so easy to make. I will definitely be making this again so
Alex Gibbs
[email protected]I made this Danish pastry braid for a brunch party and it was a huge success! Everyone loved it. The pastry was so light and fluffy, and the filling was the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone lo
brenda torres
[email protected]This Danish pastry braid was a huge hit with my family! It was so easy to make and turned out so beautiful. The pastry was flaky and buttery, and the filling was sweet and cinnamony. I will definitely be making this again soon.