Danish Pastry

 A Danish pastry, sometimes abbreviated Danish especially in the United States, is of Viennese origin, which has become a specialty of Denmark and neighbouring Scandinavian countries. Here a layer of blueberries is the sweet surprise hidden inside this pretty pastry.

Ingredients

Pastry 

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blueberry Filling

4 ounces cream cheese or 1/2 cup

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tsp lemon or orange zest (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup blueberries (fresh OR frozen)

"Egg Wash"

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp water

Glaze

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Method

Pastry

Whisk maida, baking powder & salt in a medium bowl.

Puree cottage cheese in a food processor. 

Add sugar, milk, oil & vanilla. Process until smooth. 

Add flour mixture & pulse 4 or 5 times, just until the dough clumps together. 

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface & gently knead several times; do not overwork. 

Press the dough into a disk, dust with flour & wrap in plastic wrap or keep in a covered box. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

Blueberry Filling

Blend cream cheese & sugar with a food processor or an electric mixer until creamy. 

Blend lemon zest & vanilla. Keep refrigerated till needed.

How to Assemble

Preheat oven to 204°C. 

Cut a piece of foil to fit a large baking tray, spray it with cooking spray. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 by 16 inches. (Or make small which are easier to handle). 

Roll the dough back over the rolling pin & transfer it to the prepared foil.

Using a sharp knife, make 3-inch-long cuts at 1-inch intervals along each side of the dough at 45° angles. (Check pic).

Spread the cream cheese mixture down the center of the dough, leaving the cut margins & about 1 inch at either end. 

Sprinkle blueberries evenly over the cream cheese mixture.

Fold the top end of the dough over the filling. 

Crisscross the angled strips over the filling to create a braided effect, tucking in the dough at the bottom end. 

Carefully lift the foil at each end and transfer to the baking tray.

Brush honey & water wash.

Bake  the Danish until golden & firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.

Glaze

Combine confectioners’ sugar & lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. 

Add more lemon juice if the glaze is too thick. 

With a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the Danish. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

* I used 2 cups maida (all-purpose flour) for the dough. But you can use 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour.

* You can make the dough a day or two before you plan to bake.

* I used my home made cream cheese for the filling.

* I used orange zest in filling & it gave a lovely flavour to it.

* If while making dough you feel the need of more milk then add a teaspoon at a time, you don't want too soft dough. 

* Original recipe had an egg in filling, which I just ignored ;)

* You can use any leftover filling as spread on your waffles & Rusk or as frosting on cupcakes or just take a spoon & finish it off, it's too yummy :D

* You can use strawberry or any other berry in filling or can replace berries with nuts. 

* You can make these in any shape, it will still be called Danish Pastry ;) 

Cherry Almond Danish

In this recipe I just used cherry filling instead of blueberries. Rest of the recipe remains same & you will get a very beautiful flavor in this one too :)

Cherry Almond Filling

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

2 cups cherries, stemmed and pitted

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

Method

Cherry Almond Filling

Combine the sugar & water in a medium saucepan & bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

Add the cherries, reduce the heat to low and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract. 

Cover the pan and let the cherries steep for 1 hour. 

Cool to room temperature. 

At this point the cherries are ready to be used. 

These cherries can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, tightly covered.

How to Assemble

Rest of the recipe is same as in Blueberry Danish :)