Source: Cooking with Julia/Dorie Greenspan. Beatrice Ojakangas
Makes 12 servings.
Preparation time: 1:20 hours
Tips: A elegant breakfast treat. Prepare dough 24 hrs. ahead.
Danish Braid
Ingredients
Preparation
DANISH PASTRY DOUGH: makes 2 braids
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 1/2 teaspoons active 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 all-purpose flour
8 ounces cold unsalted butter (2 sticks)
FILLING: (see fillings and frostings)
1 recipe Apricot, Prune or Fresh berry Jam filling, 1 recipe = 4 braids
1 recipe Confectioner's Cream or Almond Cream, 1 recipe = 2-3 braids
TOPPING BEFORE BAKING:
1 large egg white, beaten
pearl sugar for topping
sliced almonds
TOPPING AFTER BAKING:
2 to 3 tsp. cold strong coffee, for glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted for glaze.
MIXING THE DOUGH.
1. Pour the water into a large bowl, sprinkle over the yeast, and let it soften for a minute. Add the milk, egg, sugar, and salt and whisk to mix; set aside.
2. Put flour in the mixer bowl fitted with the flat blade. Cut the butter into 1/4 inch-thick slices and drop then onto the flour. Pulse mixer on-off until the butter is cut into pieces that are about 1/2 inch in diameter. Don't overdo this, the pieces must not be smaller than 1/2 inch.
3. Empty the contents of the mixer bowl into the bowl with the yeast and, working with a rubber spatula, very gently turn the mixture over, scraping the bowl as needed, just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Again, don't be too energetic- the butter must remain in discrete pieces so that you will produce a flaky pastry, not a bread or cookie dough.
4. Chill. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight ( or for up to 4 days, it that better suits your schedule).
5. Roll and fold. Lightly flour a work surface (a cool surface, such as marble, is ideal), turn the dough out onto it, and dust the dough lightly with flour. Using the palms of your hands, pat the dough into a rough square, then ROLL and FOLD as follows (see diagram at the end of recipe):
(1) Roll 16"x16" fold in three as letter.
(2) Roll 10"x24" fold in three as letter.
(3) Roll to 20"x20" fold in three as letter.
(4) Roll 10"x24" fold in three as letter to end with a 10"x8" block of dough.
If at any time the dough gets too soft to roll, just cover it with plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator for a quick chill.
6. After ALL 4 Roll and Fold steps are completed chill dough for at least 30 minutes, or for as long as 2 days. The dough is now ready to be shaped, filled, and baked. See note (1) regarding dough storage.
FORMING THE BRAIDS.
7. Divide dough into 1/2 half by cutting parallel to last fold line.
8. Shaping the braids. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle 10 inches wide and 16 inches long. Lift onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper and position lengthwise on the work surface. Spread some of the fruit filling down the length of the center third of the dough, then top with some of the cream or almond filling, spreading it so that a little of the fruit filling peeks out on either side. Using a pizza cutter or the point of a knife, cut 12 to 14 slanting lines down each side, angling the cuts from the center of the pastry to the edge and cutting strips about 3/4 inch wide. Fold the strips of pastry into the center, criss-crossing the filling by alternating one strip from the left side of the pastry with one from the right. Lightly press the ends together to seal and run your hands along the sides of the pastry to straighten them.
9. Rise. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes, until it looks and feels puffy; it will not double. Just before baking sprinkle sliced almonds.
10. Bake. Place oven stone at lowest shelf in oven. This will prevent a dark bottom or use a air cookie tray. Slide the braids, paper and all into a baking sheet: bake at 400 F degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or just until golden. Transfer the pastry onto a cooling rack and make the glaze.
11. Glaze. Stir the coffee into the powder sugar, adding just enough coffee to produce a smooth, shiny glaze. Spoon the glaze into a small plastic bag, snip the bottom corner to create a little decorating tube. Squeeze squiggly of the glaze over the pastry, allow it to set for a few minutes, and serve while the pastry is still warm.
NOTE: 1) : The dough can be kept covered in the refrigerator for 4 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for 1 month; thaw overnight, still wrapped, in the refrigerator.
Makes: 2 (16" long) braids.
