Easy Danish Almond Pastries Recipes

Steps:

• Place 1 cup of flour in a medium bowl. Mix in butter using a fork or a pastry blender. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over, and stir with a fork until dough comes together. Divide into two balls. Pat dough into two long strips on an ungreased baking sheet, about 14 inches long and 3 inches wide. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of water. Bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and remove from the heat. Immediately stir in 1 cup of flour until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Gradually stir in the eggs until well blended. Divide evenly, and spread over the two crusts on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 1 hour. Allow to cool almost to room temperature before frosting.
• To make the frosting, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract and a splash of milk in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the Danish, and decorate with candy sprinkles if desired.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and milk. Let stand until the yeast dissolves and begins to foam, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cardamom. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Fold in the yeast mixture just until the dough is moistened. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, pound the dough until flattened to a 2-inch thickness, then roll the dough out into a 24-inch square.
• To prepare the filling, blend the almond paste, almonds, sugar, cinnamon, and almond extract together. Spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edges of the square, and roll the dough up as tightly as possible.
• Sprinkle the sugar for the topping on the work surface. Roll the dough firmly into the sugar to coat it well, and, at the same time, stretch it to form a log of dough 36 to 40 inches long.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the roll on the paper in the shape of a pretzel. Brush the surface with the egg white and sprinkle with the almonds. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, or until puffy but not doubled.
• Position the oven racks so that they are evenly spaced. Preheat the oven to convection bake at 300°F. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• 1st Part:.
• Cut 1/2 cup butter into 1 cup flour.
• Sprinkle water over mixture and mix until it's moist enough to round into a ball.
• Divide in half.
• On ungreased baking sheet, pat each half into a strip that is roughly 12x3 inches, with strips about 3" apart.
• 2nd Part:.
• Heat 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water to a rolling boil.
• Turn heat to lowest setting and quickly stir in 1 t. almond extract and 1 cup flour.
• Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Beat in eggs, all at once, until smooth and glossy.
• Divide in half.
• Spread evenly over strips.
• Bake 60 minutes or until topping is crisp and brown.
• Frost with Sugar Glaze (see below) and sprinkle with nuts.
• Sugar Glaze:.
• Mix 3 cups powdered sugar, 4 T. butter, 1.5 t. vanilla, 1.5 t. almond extract, and 2-4 T. warm water until smooth and of spreading consistency.
• If you are topping with walnuts instead of almonds, use less almond extract or none at all and just use vanilla extract.
• Recipe can be made into individual puffs by patting dough into 3" circles, using a rounded tsp for each puff. Spread rounded tablespoon of batter (2nd part) over each circle, extending it just beyond the edge of the circle. Bake 30 minutes and frost.