Danish Pastry Dough Preparation

In a stand mixer bowl with a hook attachment, mix the bread flour, instant yeast, white granulated sugar, and salt.

Add the milk, egg, and melted butter, then knead for 4 minutes at medium speed until the dough forms. Shape it into a ball on a lightly-floured surface. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Deflate and roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 5" by 10" (13cm by 25cm) rectangle. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes.

Draw a 4 ½" by 4 ½" (12cm by 12cm) square on parchment paper. Arrange butter pieces to fill the square. Fold the parchment paper on all sides, enclosing the butter. Gently beat with a rolling pin to spread and connect the pieces.

Roll the butter within the envelope, forcing it into the corners to create a precise square. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until cold but still bendable.

Place the dough on a lightly-floured surface and position the butter block in the middle with thin dough borders on the left and right sides.

Fold the bottom and top dough overhangs towards the center of the butter block to meet. Pinch them and the dough on the sides to seal the butter inside.

Rotate the slab 90 degrees left and add flour underneath. Gently beat with a rolling pin to elongate the dough and fill the space inside the slab with butter. Roll to make it even and adjust the ends to keep a rectangular shape. The slab should be approximately 7" by 14" or 17cm by 35cm.

Brush off visible white flour before folding the dough.

Perform a four-fold turn: fold the bottom and top ends towards the center, leaving a small gap. Fold the slab in half to look like a closed book. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove from the fridge and place the dough on the rolling surface, rotating 90 degrees left so the book opening is on the left. Roll into a 7" by 14" or 17cm by 35cm slab. If air bubbles appear, gently burst with a toothpick and seal the dough again.

Do a three-fold turn: fold the bottom third over the middle third, then fold the top third over the bottom third. From the side, it should look like a spiral. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Turn the dough 90 degrees to the left, so the exposed end of the spiral faces the left side. Repeat the three-fold turn and refrigerate for 1 hour. Alternatively, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, freeze for 40 minutes, then refrigerate for 6-8 hours (overnight).

Now, the dough is ready to be rolled out, cut, shaped, proofed for 20-30 minutes until puffy, and baked. Baking instructions vary depending on the pastry size and type, but generally, bake at 375F (190C).