Danish Dough

By mutzali

Ingredients

• For the butter block (Beurrage):
• •1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• •1/2 cup whole milk
• •1/3 cup sugar
• •Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
• •Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
• •3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• •1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• •1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• •2 large eggs, chilled, lightly beaten
• •1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• •3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• •1 teaspoon salt
• •1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
• •1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preparation

Step 1

Make the dough:
Detrempe:
Combine the flour and salt together, set aside.
Warm the milk to 105F. Pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over the milk, let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk to fully dissolve. Stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly add the sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Start adding the flour, one cup at a time. After about 2 cups of the flour have been incorporated, attach the bowl to the mixer base, and gradually add the rest of the flour mixing with the dough hook on low speed. After all flour has been added, increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and pat into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Beurrage:

Combine the butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

After the detrempe has chilled for 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with the flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right third of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you are not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do so, roll the dough out to about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. The Danish dough can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Makes enough dough for 2 braids