Make the Dough: Cut ½ tablespoon off the ends of each of the four sticks of butter (for a total of 2 tablespoons).
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the 2 tablespoons cold butter and work it in with a pastry blender or your fingers until no large lumps remain. Add the vanilla, milk, and eggs.
Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until a dough begins to form, then switch to the dough hook and knead until a cohesive, but quite sticky dough forms, about 5 to 7 minutes. The dough won't completely clean the bowl and will stick a bit at the bottom. (You can also complete this step in a bread machine on the dough cycle.)
Scrape the dough into a ball, and transfer it to a floured work surface. Cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the butter.
Make the Butter Block: Cut each stick of butter in half lengthwise, to make 8 long rectangles. On a piece of floured parchment or plastic wrap, line up 4 of the butter pieces side by side, to form a rectangle. Sprinkle lightly with flour, and cover with another piece of parchment or plastic wrap.
Gently pound and roll the butter until it's about 6" x 9". The pieces may or may not meld together.
Repeat with the remaining 4 pieces of butter. You should now have two butter rectangles, about 6" x 9" each.
Laminate the Dough: Roll the dough into a rectangle 12" wide x 24" long. Place one of the butter pieces onto the center third of the dough. Fold one side over the butter to cover it. Place the other butter piece atop the folded-over dough, and fold the remaining dough up over it. Pinch the open ends and side closed.
Turn the dough so a 12" side is closest to you. Roll the dough into a 10" x 24" rectangle. Fold each side into the center; then fold one side over the other to make a rectangular packet about 6" x 10".
Dust the surface of the dough with flour, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and again roll it into a rectangle about 10" x 24". Fold it into a packet as you did in step #9; it'll be about 7" x 12". Roll one final time, fold into a packet, and flour the dough lightly. Wrap loosely (but completely) in plastic, and chill it for at least 2 hours, or up to 16 hours.
Make the Cheese Filling (if using): Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until smooth.
Assemble the Pastries: When you're ready to make pastries, remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and cut off one-third. You'll work with this piece first; re-wrap and return the remainder to the refrigerator.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball, then flatten the balls into 3" to 3 1/2" rounds, making the center thinner than the edges. You want to build up a slight wall of dough all around the circumference; this will help hold the filling. Place the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Working with one-half of the remaining dough at a time, repeat the process; you'll finish with three baking sheets, each with 12 dough rounds.
Cover the Danish lightly with greased plastic wrap, and let them rise for about 1 hour; they'll become slightly puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Use your fingers to press the centers of the dough rounds as flat as possible, leaving the "sidewalls" puffed. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of filling into the well of each round.
Make the Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water. Brush the exposed edges of the pastries with the egg wash.
Bake the Pastries: Bake the pastries, one pan at a time, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and milk to make a "drizzlable" glaze. If the glaze is too thick, add just a splash more milk at a time until the correct consistency is reached.
Drizzle the glaze atop the pastries. Serve warm or at room temperature.
FAQs
What is the most famous Danish pastry? ›
Traditional Danish pastries
In Denmark, these world-famous sticky delights are called Vienna Bread (wienerbrød), as they were first made in Denmark in the 1840s by Austrian bakers.
DIFFERENCE PUFF PASTRY
First of all Danish pastries contain a high level of fat: 40%. The second difference is that Danish dough contains yeast and that isn't the case for puff pastry. This is the reason that after baking, puff pastries contain a more airy structure and a more crispy bite.
A Danish is leavened with yeast, as opposed to puff pastry that is raised by steam. Danish pastry also contains sugar, hence with a composition of sugar and yeast, the high sugar content in the dough makes a Danish better catered to sweet creations, such as the commonplace 'Blueberry Danish' we see in local bakeries.
Why is my Danish pastry dough tough? ›Why are my Danish pastries tough? Overkneading (more than 5min), rolling the dough too vigorously and adding too much flour during the folding can make the pastry tough.
Why are Danish pastries so good? ›The Danish baking technique involves rolling out the yeast dough thinly, layering it with thin slices of butter, and folding and rolling several times to create many layers. This process allows the dough to become rich, buttery, airy, and tender when baked.
Can croissant dough be used for Danish? ›The easiest way is to use croissant dough for danishes, but I wanted something lighter, sweeter and flakier. A few attempts and tada… the recipe is ready for you to enjoy. The dough can be used for danishes, cheese pockets, Kringle, or anything of that nature.
Is croissant dough the same as Danish dough? ›The base dough, known as the detrempe, varies depending on the type of pastry. For example, puff pastry dough is made up of flour, water, and salt; croissant dough is prepared with flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and milk; while Danish dough includes the same ingredients as a croissant dough but adds eggs to the mix.
What is the real name for Danish pastry? ›In Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, the term for Danish pastry is wienerbrød (or wienerbröd), meaning "Viennese bread".
What are Danish pastries called in Denmark? ›Wienerbrød, or Danish pastries, are a type of pastry that originated in Vienna, Austria. However, they are called Danish pastries in Denmark because a Danish baker who visited Vienna in the 19th century was inspired by the pastries he saw there and brought the idea back to Denmark.
Why is Danish called Danish? ›It journeyed from there to Denmark when Danish bakers went on strike and replacements imported from Austria brought the “Viennese bread” along. From then on, the pastry became Danish to the rest of the world--probably, said Ebbe Larsen of the bakers' union, because Danish bakers emigrated to so many countries.
Is Phyllo pastry the same as puff pastry? ›
The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its signature airy puff from layers of butter, while phyllo dough is comparatively low-fat. Phyllo dough is mostly flour and water and can dry out easily.
Can you rest pastry overnight? ›It's used as the base for all kinds of sweet treats, from lemon and chocolate tarts all the way to frangipane. Resting is key! Never roll out freshly made pastry because it will shrink when it's baked. Ideally refrigerate it overnight, or at least for a few hours.
What is the best fat for pastry? ›The best fat for pastry-making
Unless you don't eat dairy, we recommend butter for flavour and texture. You can also try a 50/50 split between butter and lard, which works well for savoury recipes like quiches. Make sure your butter is really cold when you rub it in to the flour.
All-purpose flour, which is a compromise between hard and soft, generally works well. Fat makes pastry tender because it inhibits or holds back the development of gluten in the flour. Fat helps the flakiness because it separates the layers of gluten.
What is the national dish of Denmark? ›The "national dish of Denmark" is stegt flæsk - pieces of pork, fried until crisp, and then served with boiled potatoes and parsley sauce.
What is the most famous Scandinavian pastry? ›- Cinnamon or cardamom buns (Kanelbulle or Kardemummabulle) ...
- Chocolate biscuits (Chokladbiskvi) ...
- Raspberry caves (Hallongrotta) ...
- Chocolate or Arak balls (Chokladboll or Araksboll) ...
- Cream buns (Gräddbulle) ...
- Semla buns (Semla or Fastlagsbulle) ...
- Lucia buns (Lussekatt)