Danish Pastry Dough

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Directions

• Heat 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk until just warm. Add yeast and 1 tablespoon (12.5g) sugar, and stir to combine. Set aside
• In a small bowl, mix other 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until egg is smooth. Set aside
• Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add remaining 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar, flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter. Mix on level 2 until the butter is combined. You can also do this by hand–use your fingers to work the butter into the dough until it is well-incorporated.
• Add the chunks of cold butter. Mix on level 2 or 3 until butter is in about 1/4-1/2 inch chunks. With the mixer on level 2, add milk/yeast mixture and milk/vanilla/egg mixture and mix until all liquid is absorbed and no flour streaks remain. You can also do this step by hand with a pastry blender to cut in the butter and a wooden spoon to mix in the liquid mixture. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or 8-12 hours.
• When the dough has refrigerated, dust a work surface with flour. Dump cold dough onto work surface and knead 10 times, until dough is relatively smooth. Cut in half. Wrap one half in plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
• Pat the other half into a 6×6″ square. Roll into a 6″x18 rectangle, dusting workspace and surface of dough with flour as needed. Use a bench scraper to keep the sides as sharp as possible. From one edge, fold 1/3 of the rectangle in, then fold the other 1/3 over the top to make a letter fold. Make sure the sides are straight and even. Tug the dough a little as needed to even the dough. You should have a new 6×6″ square. This is the first fold.
• Turn 90 degrees and roll out into another 6×18″ rectangle to make the second fold. Turn 90 degrees and repeat rolling for the third fold. Turn 90 degrees and fold (but do not roll) to make the fourth and final fold. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
• Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the second half of the dough.
• The dough is now ready to use. For Danish pastries, roll to 1/5-1/4 (5-6 mm) thick. If not using right away, roll dough out, place on parchment paper, cover with another sheet of parchment paper, and fold into thirds, being careful to not let any of the layers touch each other. This can be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic and placed in a plastic bag. To use, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.