Danish Pastry Dough

I have been following Joe Pastry for about a year now. He has some great tips and history on baking.

With reading a blog like Joe Pastry it was inevitable that I would need to make pastry. So Danish pastry it was. It had to be at least 10 years since the last time I made it so it was time.

I decided I would use the same recipe that I had used before from Baking with Julia.

Danish Pastry Dough

For this recipe I used:


1/4 Cup Warm Water - 110˚ - 115˚ F
2 1/2 Teaspoons of Dry Yeast
1/2 Cup of Milk - room temperature
1 Large Egg - room temperature
1/4 Cup of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Salt
2 1/2 Cups of All Purpose Flour
1 Cup of Unsalted Butter (2 Sticks) - Cold, cut into pieces

Danish Pastry Dough - The Ingredients

In a large measuring cup I added the yeast to the warm water and let the mixture soften for a minute. 

Danish Pastry Dough - Softening the Yeast

I then added the milk, egg, sugar, and salt and whisked everything together. Then I set the mixture aside.

Danish Pastry Dough - Yeast Mixture with the Milk and Egg

In a mixing bowl I added the flour and chilled butter.

Danish Pastry Dough -Adding the Chilled Butter to the Flour

I worked in the butter with a pastry blender until the pieces of butter were about 1 cm in size (1/2 inch).

Danish Pastry Dough - After the Pastry Blender

I added the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and worked it together into a nice dough with a rubber spatula.

Danish Pastry Dough - Adding the Yeast Mixture

Danish Pastry Dough - After a good Stir

Once mixed, I covered the bowl and put it in the fridge overnight (at least 4 hours).

Danish Pastry Dough - Ready for the Fridge

The next morning I removed the risen dough from the fridge.

Danish Pastry Dough - After Overnight in the Fridge

I put the dough onto a floured counted and brought it together into a square.

Danish Pastry Dough - Forming a Square

I next rolled the dough out into a 16" square. 

Danish Pastry Dough - First Roll

Danish Pastry Dough - First Fold

Now it was time for a fold into 1/3's.

Danish Pastry Dough - Finished First Fold

Then I rolled out the dough again into a 10" x 24" rectangle.

Danish Pastry Dough - Second Roll

And then I folded the rectangle into 1/3's.

Danish Pastry Dough - Second Fold

Then I rolled out a second 16" square and folded it into 1/3's again.

Danish Pastry Dough - Third Roll

 Then for the last time I rolled out the dough into a 16" x 10" rectangle.

Danish Pastry Dough -Third Fold

 I folded the dough into 1/3's again. I cut the final fold into 1/2.

Danish Pastry Dough - Splitting to Use now And Later

I was going to use 1/2 of the recipe right away and I froze the second 1/2 for later. 

Danish Pastry Dough - Ready for the Freezer

I refrigerated the dough for use later in the day.

Baker's Notes:

• although there were a few folds that was really the only "technical" part of making the dough
• if at some point the dough gets too warm, wrap it and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes
• be sure to measure the temperature of the warm water 110˚ - 115˚ F. Too cold and it wont proof correctly and too warm the yeast will be killed off
• the dough will freeze easily for up to 1 month