Almond Danish Puff Pastry
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
A cooked, egg-enriched dough is spread over a buttery base and baked low and slow until it puffs into an airy, flaky-topped pastry without any rolling or folding. A thin almond glaze and toasted almonds finish it once it's completely cool.
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Method
- 1
Make the base dough. Pulse the flour, sugar and fine salt in a food processor to combine, about 3 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal, about 10 pulses. Add 120 ml of the water and pulse until the mixture forms a dough, about 10 pulses.
- 2
Shape and chill. Transfer half of the dough (about 312 g) to a lightly floured counter, knead briefly until it comes together, and roll into two 30 cm ropes. Transfer the ropes to a parchment-lined baking sheet and press each one with your hand into a 30 x 7.5 cm rectangle of even thickness. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- 3
Cook the second dough. Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs and almond extract together in a measuring jug. Bring the remaining 240 ml water to the boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the remaining base dough and cook, stirring constantly, until it forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the dough is uniformly shiny and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 3-5 minutes.
- 4
Beat in the eggs. Tip the hot dough into the food processor and process for 10 seconds. With the machine running, slowly pour in the egg mixture and process until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed. Divide the warm mixture evenly between the two chilled rectangles and spread it level.
- 5
Bake. Set the baking sheet inside a second rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 200 °C (180 °C fan) for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 175 °C (155 °C fan) and bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 75 minutes longer.
- 6
Dry out and cool. Turn the oven off. Using a paring knife, cut four 1 cm horizontal slits along each long side of both pastries. Prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon and leave the pastries inside for 20 minutes, then take them out and let them cool completely on the baking sheet, about 1 hour.
- 7
Glaze and serve. Whisk the confectioners' sugar, milk, salt and almond extract together until smooth, then slowly whisk in the melted butter. Drizzle the glaze over each cooled pastry and top with the toasted almonds before slicing.
Storage
Best eaten the day it's baked while the glaze is still glossy. Store any leftovers loosely wrapped at room temperature for a day, then move them to the fridge for up to 3 days. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Free sugars
15.9 g per serving
31.8 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 63.6 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- food processor
- rimmed baking sheet (two, nested)
- parchment paper
- medium saucepan
- paring knife
- wooden spoon
- whisk
- mixing bowls
- measuring jug
- wire rack
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 352 kcal |
| Protein | 5.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 35.1 g |
| of which sugars | 16.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 15.9 g |
| Fat | 21.5 g |
| of which saturates | 12.1 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g |
| Salt | 1 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
