Danish Pastry

Ingredients

Amount		Ingredient	Preparation
4-6	cups	flour, all-purpose
2	packages	yeast, active dry	or 1 ounce fresh yeast
3	tablespoons	sugar
1	teaspoon	salt
3	large	eggs	whole, or 6 egg yolks
1	teaspoon	orange zest	grated
1/4	teaspoon	cardamom seeds	ground, (optional)
1	teaspoon	vanilla extract
1 1/4	cups	milk	cold, (approximately)
2	cups	butter	firm, but not cold

Directions

When making Danish pastry it is important to keep the dough
very cold.

In shaping small pastries, it is sometimes necessary to re-chill
partially shaped dough until it is firm enough for the job to be
completed.

When you first make the pastry, be careful to follow all the rules.

Don't make it in the summertime unless your kitchen is air
conditioned.

After you gain experience you may attempt short cuts such as
rolling out and folding the dough twice in succession without
re-chilling.

Another way of shortening the process is by placing the dough
in the freezer between rollings.

Usually 10 minutes in the freezer is sufficient.

When you use this short cut, be careful not to freeze the dough
solid.

The shaped pastries can also be chilled in the freezer.

They can even be baked frozen if extra baking time is allowed.

Any unbaked yeast pastries, however, should never be kept
frozen for more than a week or so; and it is preferable to bake
anish pastry within a day or two after it has been shaped.

Place 4 cups flour in large bowl.

Reserve remaining flour for rolling.

Make a well in center of bowl.

If dry yeast is used, see directions on package.

If fresh yeast is used, cream it with sugar and salt to make a
syrup.

Add egg yolks or whole eggs, grated orange rind, ground
cardamom seeds, and vanilla.

Pour yeast mixture into well.

Add one cup milk and 1/4 cup butter cut into pieces.

Mix with finger tips, adding more milk if necessary to make a
medium-soft dough.

Knead dough in bowl for 5 minutes, or until it is smooth but not
elastic.

Flour it and let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While dough is resting, form remaining butter into a flattened
brick.

Using some of the reserved flour on wax paper or pastry cloth,
roll out butter into a square about 1/3 inch thick.

Use plenty of flour under and on top of butter to keep it from
sticking.

Loosen it frequently as you roll.

Cut the square in 2 pieces.

Place in refrigerator between sheets of wax paper.

Roll out dough on well-floured cloth to make a rectangle 3
times longer than wide and about 1/3 inch thick.

Brush excess flour from dough.

Place a piece of butter in center.

Fold one end of dough over butter.

Place remaining butter on top.

Fold second end over the butter.

Press edges together.

Turn dough, changing its position so that the short ends are
parallel with the edge of table nearest you.

Roll out on well-floured cloth, using a firm, even motion to
spread butter together with dough.

Try to work quickly, but check frequently underneat the dough
to be sure it isn't sticking.

Roll out a rectangele 3 times longer than wide, about 1/3 inch
thick.

Brush excess flour from surface. Fold both ends of dough

to meet in center.

Press edges together, then fold in half as if closing a book,
which will make 4 layers of dough.

Flour dough. Place on acooky sheet.

Cover with aluminum foil.

Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Repeat rolling and folding dough 3 more times, chilling it 20
minutes between rollings.

Be sure to change position of dough each time so that the short
ends of dough are parallel with the edge of the table nearest
you when you start rolling.

After the final folding, chill dough at least 3 hours before
shaping and baking.