Danish Pastries

These Danish pastries are the very best I have ever had in my life!! They are easy to make but require some time. Well worth the effort and you will make friends for life to whom ever you serve them to.I usually make the dough one day and roll them into buns the next day as the dough must chill for 3 hours or overnight. I got this recipe from one of my oldest and most loved recipe books called "Flavors of Home" by Patti Shenfield, she is a fellow Albertan. These buns freeze well too.

These are called Butterhorns. Dip in icing and then sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over top. These are one of our summer holiday camping tradition treats! I like to make half cherry and half into butterhorns.



Ingredients:

2 ½ Cups cold milk

2 Tablespoons INSTANT yeast or Bread Machine yeast

¼ Cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons butter

6 Cups flour APPROXIMATELY

1 Cup of butter DO NOT ADD TO THE DOUGH

1 egg

2 Tablespoons milk


Topping Choices

Canned cherry pie filling

Canned lemon pie filling

Pecans/Walnuts


Icing:

¼ Cup water

1 ¾ Cups icing sugar


Directions:

In a large bowl combine milk, sugar, eggs, 2 tablespoons butter, salt,1 Cup of flour and yeast.

Beat until smooth

Stir in 3 more cups of flour, ONE CUP AT A TIME.

Knead in remaining flour until you have a smooth and elastic dough. The dough should be soft and not firm.

Let the dough rest on a floured surface covered for about 30 minutes.

Punch dough down and knead for one minute.

On a floured surface roll dough into a 12x24 inch rectangle.

With a knife or your fingers, dot butter onto ⅔ rds of the dough’s surface.

Fold the plain ⅓ rd over half of the buttered side, then fold the remaining side over the plain side. Brushing off any left over flour residue on the surface of the dough.

Place dough on a floured 10x15 baking sheet.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface.

Roll out to a 12x24 rectangle again.

Fold in thirds again, dusting off the flour on the surface of the dough.

Chill for 20 minutes.

Repeat the above rolling, folding and chilling 2 more times.

After the last folding of the dough, cover with plastic wrap and chill for three hours or overnight.

After the dough has chilled for three hours or overnight, remove from the refrigerator and roll into a 16x24 inch rectangle.

Cut into strips. 16 inches long x ¾ inch wide.

Twist each strip like a party streamer and roll strips into a flat spiral and place on a parchment lined pan or greased pan. They should look like snails.

Lightly brush with a egg wash mixture (egg and milk).

Set pans in a warm place and let rise for about 1 hour, or until double in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

After Rising Buns if you are adding pie filling: gently make an indentation in the middle of each danish and fill with about 1-2 teaspoons of pie filling.

Butterhorns: no indentation required, just bake.




Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Make icing while buns are baking.

Place buns on wire cooling rack. Place a pan under to catch the icing drips.

For danish with fruit filling drizzle buns with icing.

For Butterhorns dip buns into icing and then sprinkle with nuts.

Makes approximately 16-24 buns depending on the size of bun you prefer.

Homemade Danish Pastries

Combine milk, sugar, salt, egg, yeast and one cup of flour.

Beat until smooth.

Add 3 cups of flour. and combine.

Knead in remaining flour a little at a time until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

Let dough rest covered for about 30 minutes.

Punch dough down and knead for one minute.

On a floured surface roll out dough.

Roll out to a 12 x 24 inch rectangle.

Flour the surface of a baking sheet, 10 x 15 inches

Dot 2/3 of dough surface with 1 cup of cold butter.

Fold the 1/3 of dough with no butter over 1/3 of dough with butter.

Fold the remaining 1/3 of dough with butter over the plain side.

Transfer to pan and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Remove from fridge and roll out to a 20 x 24 inch rectangle.

Fold the dough into thirds again. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Repeat this process 2 more times. Then chill for 3 hours or overnight covered with plastic wrap.

Roll dough out to a 16 x 24 inch rectangle. Cut 16 inch long strips that are approximately 3/4 of a inch wide. About 16-20 strips depending in the size you want. 

I used a pizza wheel to make my cuts.

Take one strip and begin twisting it like a party streamer.

Place rolled buns on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Do not use dark baking sheets or the bun bottoms will darken too much!!!

Give each bun a brush with the milk egg wash. Set pans in a warm place until they have doubled in size.

Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Make the icing.

Place on wire racks when they come out of the oven. Make icing mixture.

For Butterhorns dip one side into icing.

Sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts.

Drizzle icing over top of each bun.

Ready set go....Eat and Enjoy!! 

Print Recipe:Homemade Danish Pastries