Danish recipe

3/4 cup milk, scalded
1/3 cup granulated suger
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup butter
2 packages yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 eggs, beaten
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter

Mix scalded milk, sugar, salt, butter in a medium sized mixing bowl and let them set until they are lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl, open the packages of yeast and dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water. Mix in the almond extract and eggs. Add the mixture in the medium sized bowl to the mixture in the large mixing bowl, and mix them together well. Add the flour into the mixture gradually. Place the pastry dough in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan(use butter to grease the pan). Chill the dough in refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours.

Turn chilled dough repeatedly on a floured board and roll into 12 x 16 inches. Spread 1/3 cup real butter all over 2/3's of the dough. Fold the un-buttered portion over half of the remaining dough. Fold over the remaining third of dough. Repeat this procedure two more times rolling to 12 x 16-inches each time, and return the dough to refrigerator and let it chill overnight.

When you are ready to start baking the danishes, divide the dough in half. Roll dough into 14 x 9 inches. Cut dough into strips, using a pastry cutter, approximately 14 x 3/4 inches. Twist and form each strip of dough into a roll or circle, building up the sides, placing on a buttered cookie sheet.

Fill pastry shells with choice of pie filling or by using the filling recipes below. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle it over pastries. Cover and let the danishes rise in warm place, until they have doubled in size.

Bake the danishes at 200 degrees C for about 10-12 minutes. Drizzle or frost, Butter Cream Frosting, or your favorite danish topping.
Makes 24 to 30 danishes


Fillings Recipes for Danish Pastries:

Vanilla Custard Filling
1 cup light cream
1 tbsp. flour
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium sized saucepan, mix cream, flour, egg yolks, and sugar. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and smooth. Add vanilla to the mixture, and mix well. Cool.

Almond Filling
1 - 8 ounce can of almond paste
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
Mix together until well blended.

Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Vanilla extract, as desired
Beat softened cream cheese well. Beat egg until thick then add granulated sugar and vanilla extract until well mixed. Add to cream cheese and mix well.

Butter Cream Frosting
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
Mix together until you achieve a creamy, smooth mixture.