Homemade Bake Shop Cheese Danish

I just love making these traditional European pastries.  You can vary the fillings.  I made here a simple cheese danish with a bit of raspberry preserve on top.  I then brush them with a honey glaze and a drizzle of confectioner's glaze.  You can also add toasted slice almonds. 

Having friends over for breakfast, brunch or even tea you will impress them with your homemade danish.  This is scratch baking at it's finest.  No chemicals or preservatives from the box danish you find at the grocery store.  The ingredients are simple and pure. 

FREEZING: You can make the dough in advance, shape them into the round  twisted disc below in picture.  Flour a sheet pan, pop them into a freezer for 2 hours, remove and put into a Ziplock bag.  Next time you want danish just put them on sheet pan with parchment or silpat, defrost, pinch shape the centers like the picture below, add filling, egg wash and bake as recommended in recipe.  I always have a bag in my freezer.  They will defrost very quickly on top of a warm oven, shape with pinch when soft and let proof for a while, fill and bake. 

Recipe:

Danish Dough:
Yeast starter:
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

Put into a bowl or cup mix well.  Wait 5 to 10 minutes to activate.  Yeast will be bubbly.

In another large bowl add:

1/2 cup milk at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg
1 tsp. salt

Whisk milk, sugar, egg and salt  together and set aside.

In a food processor add  2 3/4 cups flour and 2 sticks of cold unsalted butter and process only until butter forms large clumps.  Do not overprocess into a meal.  The dough will not be flaky.  You want to see clumps of butter....

2 3/4 cups flour....have another 1/2 cup in reserve to bring dough together into a soft ball
2 sticks cold unsalted butter

In the bowl with the egg, milk, sugar mixture, etc., add yeast starter, mix well; add flour butter mixture and using a spoon bring the dough together.  You can mix with your hand as well.  The dough should not be overworked.  If dough is sticky you can use the 1/2 cup of reserved flour or less to bring your dough together.  Bring together to make a soft dough ball.  Do not overwork as to not melt the butter.  Grease the bowl slightly with vegetable oil.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Mixing flour mixture with liquids and yeast starter

Form into a soft ball.  You can see the clumps of butter.

The next day roll out the dough into a large square about 16 inches on each side and fold into thirds, fold the dough into third, like a business letter, and turn it so that the closed fold is to your right or left.  Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate for 30 minutes.  Take out roll the dough with the fold to your left or right.  Roll out to about 10x20 rectangle and fold like a business letter bringing the fold towards you and then turn to your left or right.  Cover and refrigerate again for 30 minutes.  Do this a total of 3 times. 

  On the last roll; roll out into a large rectangle again and slice into strips.

Use a pizza cutter to make strips

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Take two strips and twist them like picture below.

Form into a round circle and pinch towards the middle to form a base.

 Spray the tops of danish with spray release and cover gently with clear wrap, let rise for about 35 minutes in a warm spot or until proofed.  Add filling, egg wash and bake for about 18 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Glaze with honey glaze, a drizzle of confectioner's glaze; optional toasted sliced almonds.
 
Proofed and  filling added; ready to be baked!

Egg Washed

Baked and Delicious!

Cheese filling:

1 8oz. package cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients well.

Optional:  A tsp. of preserves added on top of the cheese filling for each danish center

Honey Glaze: 1/3 cup honey and 2 tsp. water.  Heat in a microwave bowl.  Use a pastry brush to glaze.

Confectioner's Glaze.  3/4 cups  confectioner's sugar.  Slowly add a tsp of water at a time until you get the consistency of maple syrup.  Drizzle on top of cooled danish.

Delicious!!!!!