When Beatrice Ojakangas published The Great Scandinavian Baking Book in 1988, she won a lot of fans—including Julia Child—who asked Ojakangas to be on her television show. There Ojakangas demonstrated how to make this simplified version of traditional cardamom-scented Danish pastry.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 2 filled braids

　　

Quick Method Danish Pastry:

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter

　　2 packages active dry yeast

　　1/2 cup warm water

　　1/2 cup heavy cream or undiluted evaporated milk

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed cardamom seed (optional)

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 eggs, room temperature

　　1/4 cup sugar

　　

Butter Cream Filling:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) soft butter

　　1 cup powdered sugar

　　1/4 teaspoon almond extract

　　1 cup finely pulverized almonds

　　1 (3-ounce) package almond paste

　　1 egg white

　　

Glaze:

1 slightly beaten egg

　　2 tablespoons milk or water

　　Pearl sugar or crushed sugar cubes, for topping

　　Chopped or sliced almonds for topping

　　

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

　　2 to 3 teaspoons warm water

　　1/2 teaspoon almond extract

　　

Quick Method Danish Pastry:

Step 1

Measure 3 1/2 cups flour into a bowl or work bowl of food processor with steel blade in place. Cut the butter into 1/4-inch slices and add to the flour. Process or cut the butter into the flour until the butter is about the size of kidney beans.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the cream or milk, cardamom, salt, eggs, and sugar.

　　

Step 3

Turn the flour-butter mixture into the liquid ingredients, and with a rubber spatula mix carefully just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours, overnight, or up to 4 days.

　　

Step 4

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board; dust with flour. Pound and flatten to make a 16- to 20-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds, making 3 layers. Turn dough around and roll out again. Fold from the short sides into thirds. This should result in a perfect square. Repeat folding and rolling again if you wish.

　　

Step 5

Wrap and chill the dough 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

　　

To make the Danish Pastry Braid:

Step 6

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease and flour them.

　　

Step 7

Divide the chilled dough into 2 parts. Roll each part out to make a rectangle 12 by 6 inches. Place these strips on the prepared baking sheets.

　　

Step 8

To make the filling, cream the butter and sugar until light. Blend in the almond extract, almonds, almond paste, and egg white.

　　

Step 9

Spread filling down the length of the center of the strips. Cut slanting strips at 3/4-inch intervals along both sides up toward the center using a pastry wheel. Fold strips over the filling in a crisscross manner

　　

Step 10

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

　　

Step 11

Let strips rise for 15 to 30 minutes, just until the pastry strips look puffy; they will not double.

　　

Step 12

To make a glaze, beat the egg with the milk or water. Brush the pastry lightly with it. Sprinkle the sugar and/or sliced almonds over the top.

　　

Step 13

Bake about 15 minutes or until golden.

　　

Step 14

Frost, if desired, with almond-water icing. Blend the sugar, water, and almond extract until smooth and thin enough to drizzle over the braids.

　　Reprinted with permission from the University of Minnesota Press from Homemade: Finnish Rye, Feed Sack Fashion,and Other Simple Ingredients from My Life in Food by Beatrice Ojakangas. Copyright 2016 by Beatrice Ojakangas.Buy the full book from Amazon.