Danska Wienerbröd - Danish Pastry

Total Time: 3 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 pint milk, lukewarm
• 2 compressed yeast cakes
• 8 cups flour, sifted (more as needed)
• 3/4 lb butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter or 6 tablespoons other shortening, additional
• 3 eggs, well beaten

Recipe

• 1 dissolve sugar in milk and add yeast.
• 2 sift flour and salt together; rub in 6 tablespoons of butter and mix to a dough with the eggs and yeast mixture.
• 3 knead five minutes and roll into a rectangular sheet about twice as long as it is wide.
• 4 cut about half the additional butter into small lumps about the size of peas over 2/3 of the dough.
• 5 fold the part of the dough that does not have butter on it over half the butter-covered portion; then fold the other third over the first two layers, so that you now have 3 thicknesses of dough (something like an envelope).
• 6 press down the edges all the way around and roll out fairly thinly.
• 7 repeat the process of cutting the remaining butter on 2/3 of the dough, folding to 3 thicknesses and rolling out.
• 8 it may be necessary to repeat once again to get all the butter incorporated.
• 9 cover with a cloth and set aside at room temperature for 1/2 hour, then roll out and shape as desired.
• 10 let rise until light, but not quite doubled in bulk as it will continue to rise in the oven.
• 11 bake in a preheated 375f oven for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the rolls.
• 12 pastry shapes: roll dough 1/2" thick, cut into strips 1/2" wide by 8" long. twist strips and form into rings or figure-8's.
• 13 triangles: roll dough 1/2" thick, cut into squares. spread with almond paste, fold over the corners into an envelope and press down the edges. when baked, spread with frosting.
• 14 pinwheels: roll dough 1/2" thick, cut into 4" squares and cut dough from each corner almost to the center. fold each alternate point to the center, pressing down firmly.