Go Back
sourdough danishes on a plate
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Sourdough Danish Pastries: A Recipe from the Farm

These filled sweet pastries are the perfect treat to celebrate the holidays or other special occasions. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!
Author Mariah Nienhuis

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Danish Dough:

  • 100 g Active Sourdough Starter at 100% hydration
  • 75 g water
  • 50 g whole milk
  • 40 g brown sugar
  • 325 g bread flour
  • 45 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 g sea salt

Butter Block Ingredient:

  • 16 T (2 sticks, 240g) high quality unsalted cold butter Tillamook or Kerry Gold works well

Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Custard Filling:

  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 2 T granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg

Ingredients for the Icing:

  • ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
  • 2-3 T (24-30g) whole milk

Instructions

Instructions for Making the Dough:

  • In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer weigh the starter, water, whole milk, and sugar. Mix by hand to form a slurry then add the bread flour, butter, and egg.
  • Mix this by hand or with the dough hook attachment on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Then let sit for 30 minutes. This is the autolyse or rest.
  • Next, weigh out the salt and set aside. After the 30 minute autolyse add the salt and knead for 5 minutes on low speed.
  • After the 5 minute knead, place your dough in a separate medium sized bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Then place in the fridge for 3-4 hours. You want your dough to be cold so that it is easier to work with when you laminate it.
    Ready to go into the fridge dough

Making the Butter Block:

  • To make the butter block take a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with flour. Then, take your two sticks of butter that have been sitting at room temperature for an hour, and cut them in half lengthwise. Once you have them cut, place the butter pieces side by side on the parchment paper and sprinkle the top of the butter lightly again with flour. Place a second sheet of parchment paper over the top of the butter.
    butter sticks cut in half on parchment paper, lightly floured
  • Next fold over the edges of the parchment paper to create a rectangle to use as a guide for your butter block.
    Butter sticks ready to be rolled out
  • Roll the butter block to roughly 6” x 12”. After you have rolled out the butter, place in the fridge until ready to use in the dough at least 30 minutes.
    butter block ready for the fridge

Laminating the Dough:

  • After the dough has long fermented, take it out of the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. The flour may not be necessary, you will be able to tell if it starts sticking too much to the surface of the counter and you can add flour to the surface as needed. It can be a sticky dough.
    rolled out dough ready for the butter block
  • With a rolling pin, roll out your dough to a 16”x24” rectangle. Next, take the butter block from the fridge and remove one side of the parchment paper from the butter block. Place this side down on one half of the rolled-out dough and remove the second piece of parchment paper. Next, fold the second half of the dough over the butter block and help seal the edges by rolling the dough a couple times with your rolling pin.
    flattened butter block on top of the dough
  • Next, take and fold the dough from the top down a third of the way. Then take the bottom of the dough and fold it up on top of the other third. Place the folded dough on a small parchment paper lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 45 minutes.
    first fold in the lamination process
  • After the 45 minutes remove your dough from the fridge and roll the dough into a large rectangle and then complete the fold again as above. Place in the fridge for another 45 minutes and then take it out and complete the last roll and fold. This is the last fold and creates 27 layers of dough. Place the dough back into the fridge after this third and last fold for 45 minutes.
    the tri fold lamination process

Shaping the Sourdough Danish Pastries:

  • Once the 45 minutes are up take the laminated dough out of the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough to 12”x8” and then using a bench scraper, pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
    laminated dough ready to roll out to make danishes
  • You can use a ruler for this to help you make the pieces as even as possible.
    cut into 12 pieces to be rolled
  • Next, take one of the 12 pieces, fold it in half and roll them in your hand. Then take and flatten them with a rolling pin. Place the shaped pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining 11 pieces of dough.
    laminated sourdough dough
  • Once the dough is all shaped let rest covered with a damp tea towel at room temperature (68-72 degrees) for 10-12 hours or overnight until very puffy and risen.
    shaped and ready to proof
  • NOTE: It is VERY important to do the final proof long enough so do not rush this.

Making the Cream Cheese Filling:

  • While the Danishes are proofing you can make the Cream Cheese Custard Filling. Simply combine the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and using a hand mixer or whisk combine until smooth. Store covered in fridge until ready to use.

Baking the Danishes:

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Once the Danishes are done proofing, press the centers to make a spot for the filling and add your desired fillings to each Danish. I prefer all to have the cream cheese custard and a flavor of jam, but you can do any combination you’d like. Some all jam, some all custard.
  • Place about two-three teaspoons of filling in the middle of the dough. If you want them to be a little less messy stick with one-two teaspoon but I like them to be nice and full.
    proofed and ready to bake sourdough danish on baking sheet
  • Once they are all filled, place in the preheated 400 F oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until nicely golden brown.
  • Remove from sheet pan immediately and place on cooling rack. While they are cooling you can prepare the glaze.

Making the Icing:

  • Simply add the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream into a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

Finishing the Sourdough Danishes:

  • Once the Danishes are mostly cooled take the icing and drizzle over the Danishes with the whisk. You want the icing thick enough so that it makes a nice line of icing.
    sourdough danish pastries cooling on a cooling rack
  • You can simply adjust the thickness of the icing by adding a little milk to thin it or a little powdered sugar to thicken.
  • You can enjoy them warm or cooled! Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
    sourdough pastry on a plate

Notes

NOTES:
You can save the parchment paper from the butter block in the fridge for future use if you make laminated dough often. This will help cut down on waste.
 
Often Danish Pastries have an egg wash also. I decided to omit this step as I got a beautiful golden color without the added step.
If you would like to do an egg wash, simply beat an egg and a teaspoon of water and brush on the pastry right before placing it in the oven.
https://thefarmchicken.com/sourdough-danish-pastries-a-recipe-from-the-farm/