Danish Dough

Yield:
Makes 3 1/4 pounds

This super-buttery laminated pastry dough is scented with a hint of cardamom. Use the dough to make Cheese Danish, Apricot Danish, Cinnamon Snails, and more. Martha made this recipe on Martha Bakes episode 502.

Ingredients

  • 2 envelopes (¼ ounce each) active dry yeast

  • 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees)

  • 1 pound , 4 ounces (about 4 ½ cups) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

  • cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons

  • 2 large whole eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk; stir until dissolved. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 1 pound, 4 ounces flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, and 4 tablespoons butter; beat on low speed until butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse meal, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the yeast-milk mixture; mix until dough just comes together. Add the eggs and yolk; mix until just combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overmix.

  2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, making sure to include any loose bits left at the bottom of the bowl. Gently knead to form a smooth ball, about 30 seconds. Wrap well with plastic, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

  3. Paddle remaining 3 1/2 sticks butter with 2 tablespoons flour. Form flour and butter mixture into a 12-by-10-inch rectangle on a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate 15 minutes or up to 1 day. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to an 18-by-10-inch rectangle, a little over a 1/4 inch thick, keeping the corners as square as possible. Remove any excess flour with a dry pastry brush. Remove butter mixture from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until it reaches the consistency of the dough. With a short side facing you, place butter mixture over 2/3 of the dough. Fold the unbuttered third over as you would a business letter, followed by the remaining third. This seals in the butter.

  4. Roll out dough again to an 18-by-10-inch rectangle, then fold dough into thirds as described above; refrigerate for 1 hour. This is the first of three turns. Repeat rolling and folding two more times, refrigerating for at least 1 hour between turns. To help you remember how many turns have been completed, mark the dough after each one: make one mark for the first turn, two for the second, and three for the third.

  5. Refrigerate dough, tightly wrapped in plastic, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Dough can also be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic, for up to 2 weeks; before using, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight.

Related Articles