Puff Pastry for Danish Bread

 1/4 cup warm water

2 1/4 tsp active dry or instant yeast

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 large egg

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp salt

14 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Whisk warm water, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and allow to rest until foamy on top, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining sugar, milk, egg, and salt. Once these wet ingredients are mixed together, lightly cover and set the bowl aside as you work on the next step.

Cut the cold butter into 1/4 inch slices and add to a food processor or blender. Top with 2 and 1/2 cups flour. Pulse the mixture 12-15 times, until the butter is crumbled into pea-size bits. (I like to take frozen butter and grate it on a cheese grater since I don't have a food processor or pastry cutter)

Pour the flour mixture into the wet yeast mixture. Very gently fold everything together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Fold just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The butter must remain in pieces and crumbles, which creates a flaky pastry. Turn the sticky dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, parchment paper, or into any container you can tightly cover.

1st Refrigeration: Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator to begin the "rolling and folding" process. If the dough sat for more than 4 hours, it may have slightly puffed up and that's ok. Very generously flour a work surface. The dough is very sticky, so make sure you have more flour nearby as you roll and fold. Using the palm of your hands gently flatten the dough into a small square. Using a rolling pin, roll out into a 15-8 inch rectangle. When needed, flour the work surface and dough as you are rolling. Fold the dough into thirds as if it were a business letter. Turn it clockwise and roll it out into a 15-inch long rectangle again. Then, fold into thirds again. Turn it clockwise. You'll repeat rolling and folding 1 more time for a total of 3 times.

2nd Refrigeration: Wrap up/seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. You can also freeze the dough at this point.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and cut it in half. Wrap 1 half up and keep refrigerated as you work with the first half. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12x8 inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut off two corners of the dough and then two small triangles 3 inches apart from each other on the other end.

Spread 1/2 of the filling of your choosing down the length of the center of the strip, which should be about 3 inches wide. We have done cherry pie filling or just strawberry jam. Using a sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut 10 slanting strips along both sides. Fold strips over the filling, alternating each side to resemble a twist or braid. Fold the bottom end to seal the filling inside. repeat with the second half of the dough and the rest of the filling. Braids may seem narrow but they puff up and out as they bake.

Whisk 1 large egg and 2 Tablespoons of whole milk for egg wash. Brush all over the dough. Strongly recommend refrigerating the braids for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour before baking. The braids tend to leak more butter and lose shape if they haven't chilled.

Bake each braid for 18-22 minutes at 400 Fahrenheit or until golden brown. Remove braids from the oven and cool for at least 5 minutes.

You can add a quick vanilla icing with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream or milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract.

I got this recipe from Sally's baking Addiction here. If this is the first time making it I would strongly recommend going to her link for the video tutorial and pictures for the roll and fold section and how to cut the pastry.

Both Chelsey and I have been intimidated to make puff pastry but this recipe is very easy. It just takes planning for all the refrigeration stages. We did one stage a day and it just takes a few minutes.

I tried this recipe first for a Christmas breakfast. I didn't know it at the time but Chelsey doubted I could do it the whole time. Then when she saw how easy it was she wanted to try it the next week.