Blood Orange & Bay Leaf Custard Danish
Blood Orange & Bay Leaf Custard Danish
Ingredients
For the Bay Leaf Custard
- 500 ml milk, for pastry cream
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 batch pastry cream ingredients, as per your preferred recipe
For the Danish Assembly
- 1 batch croissant dough, store-bought or homemade
- as needed water
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- as needed demerera sugar
For the Garnish
- 1 blood orange, sliced, plus segments
- as needed poaching syrup, leftover, for shine
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the bay leaf custard, infuse the milk for your pastry cream with 2 bay leaves. Heat the milk gently until warm, then remove from heat and let the bay leaves steep for 1 hour. This can be done while the milk cools.
⏱️ 60 min
- 2
After 1 hour, remove and discard the bay leaves from the milk. Proceed to make your pastry cream according to your preferred recipe, using the infused milk. This will now be your bay leaf custard. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.
⏱️ 20 min
- 3
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the croissant dough to a thickness of 2.5 mm. Ensure the rolled dough is 16 cm wide.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Cut the rolled dough in half lengthways. Lightly brush the top surface of one half of the dough with a little bit of water.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Carefully stack the other half of the dough directly on top of the brushed half, aligning the edges. Gently press down to adhere the layers.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut the stacked dough into 8x8 cm squares. This recipe yields 4 danishes, so you will need 4 squares.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Arrange the dough squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 10 hours).
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
The next day, remove the dough squares from the refrigerator and allow them to prove at room temperature until visibly puffy and slightly larger, about 1-2 hours, depending on your environment. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 190
- 9
Once proved, use a metal measuring cup or a similar round object to gently press an indent into the middle of each dough square, creating a well for the custard.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Brush the edges of the dough around the indent with the beaten egg wash. Generously sprinkle demerera sugar over the egg-washed edges.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Pipe the prepared bay leaf custard into the indent of each dough square, filling it generously but not overflowing.
⏱️ 3 min
- 12
Bake the danishes in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown and puffed.
⏱️ 18 min•🌡️ 190
- 13
Remove the danishes from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
⏱️ 30 min
- 14
Once cooled, gently lift a central portion of the baked custard from each danish using a small knife to create a space for the garnish.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Place a slice of blood orange into the created space in the center of each danish. Arrange blood orange segments on top of the slice.
⏱️ 2 min
- 16
For extra shine, brush the finished danishes with any leftover poaching syrup you may have.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Blood Orange & Bay Leaf Custard Danish
For the Bay Leaf Custard
- 500 ml milk, for pastry cream
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 batch pastry cream ingredients, as per your preferred recipe
For the Danish Assembly
- 1 batch croissant dough, store-bought or homemade
- as needed water
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- as needed demerera sugar
For the Garnish
- 1 blood orange, sliced, plus segments
- as needed poaching syrup, leftover, for shine
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the bay leaf custard, infuse the milk for your pastry cream with 2 bay leaves. Heat the milk gently until warm, then remove from heat and let the bay leaves steep for 1 hour. This can be done while the milk cools.
⏱️ 60 min - 2
After 1 hour, remove and discard the bay leaves from the milk. Proceed to make your pastry cream according to your preferred recipe, using the infused milk. This will now be your bay leaf custard. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.
⏱️ 20 min - 3
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the croissant dough to a thickness of 2.5 mm. Ensure the rolled dough is 16 cm wide.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Cut the rolled dough in half lengthways. Lightly brush the top surface of one half of the dough with a little bit of water.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Carefully stack the other half of the dough directly on top of the brushed half, aligning the edges. Gently press down to adhere the layers.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut the stacked dough into 8x8 cm squares. This recipe yields 4 danishes, so you will need 4 squares.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Arrange the dough squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 10 hours).
⏱️ 2 min - 8
The next day, remove the dough squares from the refrigerator and allow them to prove at room temperature until visibly puffy and slightly larger, about 1-2 hours, depending on your environment. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 190 - 9
Once proved, use a metal measuring cup or a similar round object to gently press an indent into the middle of each dough square, creating a well for the custard.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Brush the edges of the dough around the indent with the beaten egg wash. Generously sprinkle demerera sugar over the egg-washed edges.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Pipe the prepared bay leaf custard into the indent of each dough square, filling it generously but not overflowing.
⏱️ 3 min - 12
Bake the danishes in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown and puffed.
⏱️ 18 min•🌡️ 190 - 13
Remove the danishes from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
⏱️ 30 min - 14
Once cooled, gently lift a central portion of the baked custard from each danish using a small knife to create a space for the garnish.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Place a slice of blood orange into the created space in the center of each danish. Arrange blood orange segments on top of the slice.
⏱️ 2 min - 16
For extra shine, brush the finished danishes with any leftover poaching syrup you may have.
⏱️ 1 min