Danish Pastries

3.70 (21)
⏱ 210 mins 🍽 Makes 18 pastries 🌶 scandinavian ✅ A challenge 🏷 Breakfast

Transform your kitchen into a patisserie with this detailed guide for crafting authentic Danish pastries. The recipe yields 18 pastries and requires about 210 minutes to complete, including rising and baking time. You will create a laminated dough with butter, then shape it into three classic varieties: pecan pinwheels with maple syrup, apricot custard turnovers, and spiced raisin swirls. The process involves careful folding, rolling, and chilling to achieve the signature flaky layers before a final proof and bake.

Danish Pastries

Ingredients

  • 250g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
  • 250g plain flour
  • 7g sachet fast-action yeast
  • 50g golden caster sugar
  • 125ml whole or semi-skimmed milk
  • 1 large egg beaten plus extra beaten egg to glaze
  • 250g pack lightly salted butter not fridge cold but not soft, cut into 8 even slices
  • 85g pecan plus a few extra, chopped
  • 50g light muscovado sugar plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 25g softened butter
  • 150g tub custard
  • 2 x 320g cans apricots
  • few tsps apricot jam
  • 50g raisin
  • 25g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 50g soft butter
  • 50g icing sugar

Method

  1. Combine the dry ingredients and 2 tsp salt in a food processor. Add the milk, egg, and 100ml water, pulsing until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead it for 1 min on a lightly floured surface until just smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film, and leave to rise in a warm spot for 1 hr until it doubles in size (or chill overnight).
  2. On a floured surface, pat the dough into a 1cm thick rectangle. Arrange the butter slices in a rectangle over the centre. Fold the pastry over from the top, bottom, and sides to completely encase the butter, pressing the edges to seal.
  3. Roll the dough into a 50 x 30cm rectangle. Start by tapping it gently with the rolling pin to feel the butter spreading evenly, then roll fully. Turn the dough 90 degrees, fold the right third over, then the left third over that. Repeat this rolling and folding process three times, chilling the dough for 15 mins after each roll.
  4. Slice the dough into two squares. Roll one piece to 35 x 35cm. Cut it into 9 squares, then follow the shaping and filling instructions below. If your squares puff up while working, simply roll them out again slightly.
  5. For 18 pecan pinwheels, process 85g pecans finely. Mix with 50g light muscovado sugar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, and 25g softened butter. Cut each pastry square from each corner towards the middle. Spoon on 1 tsp of filling, fold each point to the centre, and press. Scatter extra chopped pecans and sugar on top before baking. Drizzle with maple syrup to serve.
  6. To prepare 18 apricot custard turnovers, use 150g tub custard, 2 x 320g cans apricots, and a few tsps apricot jam. Place 2 tsp custard in the middle of a square, set two apricot halves on top, dot with jam, then pull two corners over and pinch to seal.
  7. For 18 raisin swirls, combine 50g raisins, 25g caster sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice, and 50g soft butter. Instead of cutting, keep the rolled dough whole and spread the filling over it. Roll it up, slice into 9 rounds, and flatten each one. Mix 50g icing sugar with a few drops of water to create a glaze for drizzling after baking.
  8. After shaping, allow the pastries to rise for 30 mins until puffed and doubled. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush them with beaten egg, re-pinch any seams, and bake for about 20 mins until golden and well-risen.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories218 kcal
Fat12 g
Saturates8 g
Carbs25 g
Sugars4 g
Fibre1 g
Protein3 g
Sodium104 mg

Recipe details

Skill levelA challenge
CategoryBreakfast
Cuisinescandinavian