Apple Danish Recipe

Apple Danish is a delicious pastry filled with sweet apple filling and often topped with icing or glaze. Here’s a recipe to make Apple Danish at home:

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1/2 cup milk, warmed
• 1 large egg, beaten

For the apple filling:

• 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (optional, for thickening)

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Make the dough:
   • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt.
   • Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until you have a crumbly texture.
   • In a separate bowl, whisk together the warm milk and beaten egg.
   • Pour the milk-egg mixture into the flour-butter mixture and stir until a dough forms.
   • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
   • Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
2. Make the apple filling:
   • In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples and cook until they start to soften.
   • Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice to the apples. Cook until the apples are tender and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
   • If the filling is too liquid, you can add the cornstarch-water mixture to thicken it. Cook for another minute until thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool.
3. Assemble the Danish:
   • Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
   • Cut the dough into squares or rectangles, depending on the size of Danish pastries you want.
   • Place a spoonful of the cooled apple filling in the center of each dough piece.
   • Fold the edges of the dough over the filling to create a pocket, pinching the edges to seal.
   • Place the filled pastries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them.
   • Cover the pastries loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rise again for about 20-30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
5. Bake the Danish:
   • Once the pastries have risen, bake them in the preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
   • Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
6. Make the glaze:
   • In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and drizzling consistency.
   • Drizzle the glaze over the cooled Apple Danish pastries.
7. Serve and enjoy your homemade Apple Danish pastries warm or at room temperature. They are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a delicious dessert!