Danish “Ladder” Coffee Cake

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Using one half of your danish dough recipe, roll the dough to approx 12×17.  Place on a piece or parchment paper (or silicone mat).  Mark the dough in thirds.  On the two outside thirds, cut approx 1″ “tabs” all the way down.  Remove the top two and the bottom two.

Place your filling down the center third.  Fold over the top and bottom tabs and then working down, fold the tabs over the filling, gently pressing down to seal.

Cover and set aside for 1 to 1-1/2 hours to rise.

Brush with egg wash.  Bake in 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Remove and cool.  Make a simple confectioners sugar icing and ice the coffee cake.

Danish Pinwheels

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Using danish dough, roll dough and cut into 5″ squares.  Place your favorite filling in the center of the square.  Cut small slits about 2″ long in each corner.

Fold every other corner into the center of the pastry, over the filling, and press down lightly.  Let rise 1-2 hours.  Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake in 450 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes

Danish Pastry

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1 cup softened butter
1/3 cup flour

Blend these two together well. Spread out onto a wax sheet of paper approximately 12 x 6 – cover with another sheet of wax paper and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

3-3/4 – 4 cups of flour
2 pks active dry yeast
1-1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a large mixer bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour and the yeast. In a small saucepan, heat milk, sugar and salt until just warm (115-120 degrees). Add to dry mixture in bowl along with the egg and extract. Beat until combined and then beat on high speed for 3 minutes.

Beat in enough flour to make a soft dough – knead on a floured surface about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll dough to about a 14″ square. Place the chilled butter on half of the dough. Fold dough over butter and press to seal. Turn dough 90 degrees and roll out to about 20×12. Fold into thirds like a letter, turn 90 degrees and roll again to about 20×12. Do this 2 more times (if the dough gets too soft or too much butter oozes out, cover and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes between rolling).

Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.

The dough is now ready to use.

 

Here is picture of some croissants and pear danish that Mark from CA just made from this dough