Honey Cardamom Danish Pastries
Honey Cardamom Danish Pastries
Ingredients
For the Danish Dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm milk, 105-115°F
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Butter Block
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
For the Honey Cardamom Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon milk
For Assembly
- 1 large egg, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Danish Dough: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar and let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the remaining granulated sugar, egg, melted butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix well. Gradually add the flour, mixing until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
⏱️ 75 min - 3
Prepare the Butter Block: Place the 8 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, pound and roll the butter into an 8x5 inch rectangle. Place the butter block in the refrigerator to keep it firm.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Laminate the Dough (First Fold): On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 16x10 inch rectangle. Place the butter block on one half of the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Fold the other half of the dough over the butter, sealing the edges to enclose the butter completely. Gently roll the dough to about 18x10 inches.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Perform the first 'book fold': Fold one short end of the dough to the center, then fold the other short end to meet it. Fold the entire rectangle in half like a book. This is one fold. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 35 min - 6
Perform two more folds: Unwrap the dough, rotate it 90 degrees, and repeat the rolling and book-folding process (Steps 4 and 5) two more times, refrigerating for 30 minutes after each fold. After the third fold, refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
⏱️ 90 min - 7
Prepare the Honey Cardamom Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, honey, ground cardamom, and all-purpose flour. Mix until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Shape the Danish Pastries: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12x12 inch square. Trim the edges to create clean lines. Cut the square into four 6x6 inch squares.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
For each square, make two diagonal cuts from each corner towards the center, stopping about 1/2 inch from the center. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the honey cardamom filling in the center of each square. Fold one point of each cut corner over the filling, alternating points, to create a pinwheel shape, gently pressing down in the center to secure.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Proof the Danish: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully transfer the shaped Danish pastries to the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk for the egg wash. Brush the pastries with the egg wash. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until visibly puffed.
⏱️ 45 min - 11
Bake the Danish: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the Danish pastries for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. If they brown too quickly, you can loosely tent them with foil.
⏱️ 22 min•🌡️ 400°F - 12
Prepare the Glaze: While the Danish are baking, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, honey, and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk a few drops at a time if needed to reach a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Glaze and Serve: Once the Danish pastries are out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Drizzle generously with the honey glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
⏱️ 10 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Honey Cardamom Danish Pastries
Ingredients
For the Danish Dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm milk, 105-115°F
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Butter Block
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
For the Honey Cardamom Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon milk
For Assembly
- 1 large egg, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Danish Dough: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar and let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the remaining granulated sugar, egg, melted butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix well. Gradually add the flour, mixing until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
⏱️ 75 min - 3
Prepare the Butter Block: Place the 8 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, pound and roll the butter into an 8x5 inch rectangle. Place the butter block in the refrigerator to keep it firm.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Laminate the Dough (First Fold): On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 16x10 inch rectangle. Place the butter block on one half of the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Fold the other half of the dough over the butter, sealing the edges to enclose the butter completely. Gently roll the dough to about 18x10 inches.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Perform the first 'book fold': Fold one short end of the dough to the center, then fold the other short end to meet it. Fold the entire rectangle in half like a book. This is one fold. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 35 min - 6
Perform two more folds: Unwrap the dough, rotate it 90 degrees, and repeat the rolling and book-folding process (Steps 4 and 5) two more times, refrigerating for 30 minutes after each fold. After the third fold, refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
⏱️ 90 min - 7
Prepare the Honey Cardamom Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, honey, ground cardamom, and all-purpose flour. Mix until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Shape the Danish Pastries: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12x12 inch square. Trim the edges to create clean lines. Cut the square into four 6x6 inch squares.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
For each square, make two diagonal cuts from each corner towards the center, stopping about 1/2 inch from the center. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the honey cardamom filling in the center of each square. Fold one point of each cut corner over the filling, alternating points, to create a pinwheel shape, gently pressing down in the center to secure.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Proof the Danish: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully transfer the shaped Danish pastries to the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk for the egg wash. Brush the pastries with the egg wash. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until visibly puffed.
⏱️ 45 min - 11
Bake the Danish: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the Danish pastries for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. If they brown too quickly, you can loosely tent them with foil.
⏱️ 22 min•🌡️ 400°F - 12
Prepare the Glaze: While the Danish are baking, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, honey, and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk a few drops at a time if needed to reach a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Glaze and Serve: Once the Danish pastries are out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Drizzle generously with the honey glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
⏱️ 10 min