Best Pear And Almond Danish Braid Recipes

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DANISH BRAID



Danish Braid image

This recipe is very special to me. I made this several years ago as one of my first pastry-making attempts. If you follow the directions this recipe is foolproof. Patience is a must. From Baking with Julia.

Provided by spatchcock

Categories     Yeast Breads

Time P2DT20m

Yield 2 danish braids

Number Of Ingredients 21

1/4 cup water, 110 degrees
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
8 ounces unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 cup blanched almond
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 cups fresh berries, crushed
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice (up to 2 tbl depending on sweetness)
1 large egg white
raw sugar or crushed sugar cube
sliced almonds, garnish
4 -6 tablespoons strong coffee
1 cup powdered sugar

Steps:

  • Danish Dough: Pour water into a large bowl, sprinkle over.
  • yeast and let soften for a minute.
  • Add milk, egg, sugar and salt.
  • Whisk to mix. Set aside.
  • Put flour into food processor, add butter and pulse (8-10 times) until butter is cut into pieces 1/2 inch diameter- no smaller.
  • Empty contents of food processor into the bowl with the yeast mixture.
  • Very gently turn the mixture over with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are moistened.
  • Butter must remain in discrete pieces.
  • Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight (or up to 4 days).
  • Lightly flour work surface, turn the dough out and lightly flour the dough.
  • Pat into a rough square.
  • Note: If at anytime the dough becomes too soft, cover with plastic and chill.
  • Roll out to 16" x 16".
  • Fold in thirds like a business letter and turn so that the closed fold is on your left.
  • Roll again to 10" x 24".
  • Fold in thirds again, turn so the closed fold is on your left.
  • Roll into a 20" x 20" square.
  • Fold the square in thirds and turn so that the closed fold is on your left.
  • Roll into a 10" x 20' rectangle, fold in thirds again.
  • Wrap dough in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days).
  • Dough can be frozen for 1 month.
  • Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
  • Danish-almond filling: Put almonds, sugar and butter into food processor.
  • Process until almonds are finely ground, scraping bowl as necessary.
  • Add almond extract and 2 Tbsp of the beaten egg white.
  • Process until mixed.
  • Store in airtight container in the refrigerator until needed (up to 1 week).
  • Bring to room temperature before using.
  • Danish-Berry Jam Filling: Stir berries and sugar together in saucepan.
  • Cook on low, stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed and filling is glossy.
  • (Can be done in microwave) Stir in lemon juice.
  • Scrape filling into a small container and cool to room temperature.
  • Seal container and chill.
  • Will keep refrigerated for 1 week.
  • Danish Braid assembly: Divide Danish dough in half.
  • Roll each chilled danish dough half on lightly floured surface to a 10" x 16" rectangle.
  • Lift on to a parchment lined half sheet pan.
  • Spread some of the fruit filling down the middle third of the dough.
  • Top with some of the cream or almond filling.
  • Note:you may not need the entire amount of either filling Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut 12- 14 slanting lines down each side angling cuts from the center to the edge and cutting strips about 3/4 inch wide.
  • Fold strips of pastry into the center, crisscrossing the filling by alternating strips from each side.
  • Lightly press ends to seal and run your hands along the sides of the pastry to straighten.
  • Brush with egg white, sprinkle with sugar and almonds.
  • Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until it looks and feels puffy.
  • About 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Bake in center of oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  • Cool slightly Stir coffee and powdered sugar together to produce a smooth shiny glaze.
  • Spoon glaze into a zip-loc bag, seal top and snip corner with scissors to create a pastry bag.
  • Squeeze squiggles of glaze over pastry and allow to set.
  • Serve.
  • Notes: you can use other Danish fillings as well.
  • Such as:.
  • Danish- Cream Cheese Filling (recipe #54153).
  • Danish-Prune Filling (recipe #54152).
  • Danish-Confectioners Cream filling (recipe #54151).
  • Danish-Apricot Filling (recipe #54150).

DANISH DOUGH



Danish Dough image

This streamlined process for making Danish dough gives you flaky, crisp, buttery pastry with a fraction of work that the traditional method requires. The only trick to this recipe is planning for the considerable resting time. Break up the work over a few days to simplify the process. If you don't have a food processor, cut the butter into 1/4-inch pieces and chill until firm. Fold the cold butter pieces into the flour mixture and continue with the recipe as written. If you are using this dough to make our pear and almond Danish braid, add 1 teaspoon (2 grams) coarsely ground fresh cardamom to step 1, along with the flour, sugar, yeast and salt.

Provided by Samantha Seneviratne

Categories     breakfast, brunch, pastries, project

Time 6h30m

Yield Enough for 9 or 10 small pastries, or 1 large braid

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 1/2 cups/6 3/4 ounces/192 grams bread flour, plus more for the work surface and the rolling pin
2 tablespoons/24 grams granulated sugar
2 teaspoons/6 grams active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon/3 grams kosher salt
14 tablespoons/198 grams cold, unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks), roughly cubed
1 large egg
1/4 cup/60 milliliters cold whole milk

Steps:

  • Combine the flour, granulated sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse to combine. The butter should be the size of small marbles and peas. Transfer this mixture to a medium bowl.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and 2 tablespoons/30 milliliters water.
  • Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture until it is evenly moistened. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a small rectangle, and wrap well. Chill for at least 3 hours, and up to 2 days.
  • On a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to an 8-by-15-inch rectangle. With a short side facing you, fold the dough in thirds like a letter, bringing the top third of the dough down, then folding the bottom third up. Use a bench scraper to help lift and fold the dough if necessary. At this point, the dough will be rough and shaggy with visible butter pieces; as you roll and fold the dough it will come together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Repeat the rolling and folding process, then rotate the dough once more and roll and fold again. As you work, dust the work surface, your hands and the rolling pin with flour as necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Repeat the entire rolling and folding process one more time for a grand total of six turns. If the dough starts to fight you and become difficult to roll at any point, just pop it in the fridge for an extra rest. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 233, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 123 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 1 gram

DANISH PASTRY BRAID



Danish Pastry Braid image

When Beatrice Ojakangas published *The Great Scandinavian Baking Book* in 1988, she won a lot of fans-including Julia Child-who asked Ojakangas to be on her television show. There Ojakangas demonstrated how to make this simplified version of traditional cardamom-scented Danish pastry.

Provided by Beatrice Ojankangas

Categories     Pastry     Dessert     Christmas     Almond

Yield Makes 2 filled braids

Number Of Ingredients 26

Quick Method Danish Pastry:
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup heavy cream or undiluted evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed cardamom seed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
Butter Cream Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) soft butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup finely pulverized almonds
1 (3-ounce) package almond paste
1 egg white
Glaze:
1 slightly beaten egg
2 tablespoons milk or water
Pearl sugar or crushed sugar cubes, for topping
Chopped or sliced almonds for topping
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Steps:

  • Quick Method Danish Pastry:
  • Measure 3 1/2 cups flour into a bowl or work bowl of food processor with steel blade in place. Cut the butter into 1/4-inch slices and add to the flour. Process or cut the butter into the flour until the butter is about the size of kidney beans.
  • In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the cream or milk, cardamom, salt, eggs, and sugar.
  • Turn the flour-butter mixture into the liquid ingredients, and with a rubber spatula mix carefully just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, overnight, or up to 4 days.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board; dust with flour. Pound and flatten to make a 16- to 20-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds, making 3 layers. Turn dough around and roll out again. Fold from the short sides into thirds. This should result in a perfect square. Repeat folding and rolling again if you wish.
  • Wrap and chill the dough 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
  • To make the Danish Pastry Braid:
  • Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease and flour them.
  • Divide the chilled dough into 2 parts. Roll each part out to make a rectangle 12 by 6 inches. Place these strips on the prepared baking sheets.
  • To make the filling, cream the butter and sugar until light. Blend in the almond extract, almonds, almond paste, and egg white.
  • Spread filling down the length of the center of the strips. Cut slanting strips at 3/4-inch intervals along both sides up toward the center using a pastry wheel. Fold strips over the filling in a crisscross manner
  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
  • Let strips rise for 15 to 30 minutes, just until the pastry strips look puffy; they will not double.
  • To make a glaze, beat the egg with the milk or water. Brush the pastry lightly with it. Sprinkle the sugar and/or sliced almonds over the top.
  • Bake about 15 minutes or until golden.
  • Frost, if desired, with almond-water icing. Blend the sugar, water, and almond extract until smooth and thin enough to drizzle over the braids.

DELICIOUS ALMOND BRAIDS



Delicious Almond Braids image

Similar to an almond crescent, this coffee cake is light and flaky with a rich almond center. It's so versatile you can serve it for dessert, breakfast or brunch. It will taste as if it was made from scratch at a bakery, yet the packaged puff pastry makes the recipe quick and easy. —Gina Idone, Staten Island, New York

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Breakfast     Brunch

Time 55m

Yield 2 braids (6 servings each).

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 package (7 ounces) almond paste
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
GLAZE:
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°. Place the almond paste, butter and sugar in a food processor; cover and pulse until chopped. Add egg and flour; process until smooth., Place puff pastry sheets onto a greased baking sheet. Spread half of the filling mixture down the center third of 1 pastry sheet. On each side, cut 8 strips about 3-1/2 in. into the center. Starting at 1 end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Pinch ends to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling., Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely., Combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and almond extract. Drizzle over braids; sprinkle with almonds. Cut into slices to serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 430 calories, Fat 25g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 38mg cholesterol, Sodium 197mg sodium, Carbohydrate 49g carbohydrate (22g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 6g protein.

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