Maple Pecan Danish Pastry

Maple Pecan Danish Pastry combines delicious textures from sweetened pecans and richness from the buttery layers of pastry. This is a delicious homemade pastry made you can totally master at home!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Denmark

Keyword Breakfast pastries, Pastry Braid

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 25

Chill time 8

Total Time 9 5

Servings

Calories 495kcal

Author sanna

Equipment

1 rolling pin
1 Pastry Cutter/ Pastry Blender
1 pastry scraper

Ingredients

¼ cup warm water 105-115 ℉
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
½ cup milk warm
1 large egg
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
8 oz. butter cubed and chilled

For the Filling

1 ½ cup chopped pecans softened
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup whipping cream
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp butter

For the Top

1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)
2 tbsp. chopped pecans

Instructions

The Pastry Dough

Yeast Mixture. Add the warm water to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over it and let the mixture sit for a few minutes until foamy or thick. Add the milk, egg, sugar and salt. Use a wooden spoon to combine.
The Butter Mixture. In a large bowl add the flour, then the cubed butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, with bits of butter here and there. It is these bits that will give us the flaky pastry result, so make sure to not overwork here.
Combine the Two Mixtures and Chill the Mixture Overnight. Pour this crumb mixture into the yeast mixture in the other bowl. Use a wooden spoon to combine, Do not overmix, Again, we want the butter to remain in bits here. Overmixing can yield a tough, non-flaky pastry. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge overnight.

The Pecan Filling

Stir together maple syrup, whipping cream, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Turn on heat to medium, and once the ingredients are fully incorporated, add the butter. Bring to a low simmer and keep it for 5 minutes or so, stirring often, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Turn off heat add add the pecans, reserving about 2 tablespoons. Allow this to cool completely. This will thicken as it cools.

Lamination (aka roll and fold)

Pat into a Rough Square. The next day, take out the bowl of dough. Generously dust a clean surface with flour. Turn the dough over and pat into a rough square.
Roll into a Square and Fold. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 15 inch square. Make sure to dust your surface well to prevent sticking. Fold the dough in thirds to form a rough rectangle. Rotate the dough so that the short edge is closest to you. If needed, use a pastry scraper to lift the edges of the dough if they are sticking.
Roll into a Rectangle and Fold. Roll the dough out into a rectangle that measures 10 x 22 inches. Again, fold this in thirds. If at anytime the dough starts to warm up and soften, pop it in the fridge or freezer to chill for 5-10 minutes.
Roll into a Square and Fold, Again. Next, Roll the dough out again into a 15 inch square. Fold this in thirds.
Roll into a Rectangle, Once More. Roll the dough to 10 x 22 inches rectangle once again, then fold this in thirds.
Cut the dough in half.. Store one portion in the fridge while you work with the other one.

Assembly

10 x 15 Inch Square. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half vertically and in half horizontally to make 4 rectangular portions.
Add The Filling. Take one rectangle dough and position it in front of you so that the wide edge of the rectangle is facing you. Take about 2-3 tablespoons of the pecan mixture and spread it on the center of the rectangle dough, perpendicular to the long edge, but leaving about a quarter inch of space on the top and bottom.
Cut Slanting Lines. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut some downward slanted lines, about a quarter inch long, along both sides of the dough (left and right of the filling). I am able to do 7-8 lines per side.
Braid. Fold one strip from both sides alternately towards the center to form a braid. Lift the assembled pastry using a wide spatula then transfer it to a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining rectangles. Then the entire process with the remaining half of the dough in the fridge.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Brush the tops of the pastry with the egg wash, then sprinkle the reserved chopped pecans on top. Bake the Danish pastries for 13 minutes. Then, increase the oven temperature to 400 ℉ and bake for 2-5 minutes more, or until golden brown.

Notes

Dough Stickiness. Generously flour your working surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
Pastry Scraper. A pastry scraper will help you lift the edges of the delicate pastry dough during rolling and folding, so make sure to have one by your side. You can also use a wide metal spatula if you do not have a pastry scraper.
Do not let the dough warm up. If at anytime the dough warms up and softens too much, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes or in the freezer for 5-8 minutes.
Leftovers. Store leftover pastry at room temperature for up to 2 days, covered well in a container. Refrigerate the pastry to store it for up to a week.
Freezing the Danish Pastry Dough. You can freeze the Danish pastry for up to a month. Wrap it well in plastic film, then in foil.

This recipe for the pastry dough is adapted from the Book Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan.

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