Lavash Crackers

It's Daring Baker time again!

I can't believe I haven't posted anything in 2 months. Did you miss me? Life got in the way of last month's challenge, so I still haven't made those delicious looking Chocolate Eclairs. (I'm not giving up on them - hopefully you'll see them up here soon!) Life got in the way of blogging in general these past few months, but I'm hoping to be a regular in cyberspace again.

So, on to the main event - the Lavash Crackers! This month was a savory recipe, which is a nice change from all the sweets we've had. We were given a regular recipe, and a gluten free version, which I'm sure was nice for the alternative Daring Bakers to have. We were also given full rein on how to flavor the cracker - with whatever seeds, spices, or salts we chose. The second part of the challenge was to make a dip that is VEGAN!! (I will be posting more about this later, but I tried veganism for a few weeks last month, and still aspire to incorporate more vegan choices into my life, but for now I'm still just a plain ol' vegetarian. ) Overall, I was a pretty uninspired Daring Baker this month. I couldn't come up with anything more exciting than Sea Salt as flavoring, and I was wasn't very prepared for the dip, so I ended up making the recipe that was given to us - Tahitian Almond Dip. To be honest, I didn't love it after I made it, but maybe I'm just not in the right frame of mind for it today. I will keep the Almond Dip - because almond butter is too expensive to waste - and try it again tomorrow. Maybe my tastebuds will come around.

The recipe was chosen by Natalie of Gluten A Go Go, and Shel of Musings From the Fishbowl, and they found it in : The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering The Art of Extraordinary Bread, by Peter Reinhart. According to them, lavash is similar to the many other Middle Eastern and Northern African flatbreads known by different names, such as mankoush or mannaeesh (Lebanese), barbari (Iranian), khoubiz or khobz (Arabian), aiysh (Egyptian), kesret and mella (Tunisian), pide or pita (Turkish), and pideh (Armenian). The main difference between these breads is either how thick or thin the dough is rolled out, or the type of oven in which they are baked. The key to a crisp lavash, is to roll out the dough paper-thin. The sheet can be cut into crackers in advance or snapped into shards after baking. The shards make a nice presentation when arranged in baskets.

So, without any further ado, here are the recipes:

Lavash Crackers

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz) unbleached bread flour or gluten free flour blend (If you use a blend without xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan or guar gum to the recipe)

* 1/2 tsp (.13 oz) salt

* 1/2 tsp (.055 oz) instant yeast

* 1 Tb (.75 oz) agave syrup or sugar

* 1 Tb (.5 oz) vegetable oil

* 1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 Tb (3 to 4 oz) water, at room temperature

* Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, agave, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.

2. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (see http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-if-Bread-Dough-Has-Been-Mixed-Long-Enough for a description of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

or

2. For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), and slightly tacky. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).

3. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

or

3. For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Lay out two sheets of parchment paper. Divide the cracker dough in half and then sandwich the dough between the two sheets of parchment. Roll out the dough until it is a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. Slowly peel away the top layer of parchment paper. Then set the bottom layer of parchment paper with the cracker dough on it onto a baking sheet.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

6. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

Tahitian Almond Dipping Sauce

by Robert Yarosh and Lisa Soto, from The Complete Book of Raw Food, Lori Baird, Editor.

* 1 1/2 cups almond butter

* 1/2 cup pine nuts

* 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

* 1 clove garlic

* 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (you may want to add more juice or add some water, depending on the consistancy you like).

* 1 1/2 tablespoons agave syrup or honey

Blend all ingredients together until smooth (in your blender or food processor). Serve with your favorite crackers and fresh fruit.

Ta-da!(as my 2 y.o likes to say) The finished product looked nice - I used a ravioli cutter to cut the dough before baking, so it gave the cracker pieces a fancy looking edge.

The vegan dip I wanted to make, but didn't have the ingredients for, is my favorite variety of hummus - Jalepeno Cilantro Hummus. You can see the recipe I previously posted here.

The crackers were fun to make, and if was feeling more creative, would've felt more inspired by them. They were really tasty with just the sea salt though - it makes for a nice dipping cracker. I don't think mine turned out as crispy as they are supposed to be, but they are still good. And I know I need a lot more practice with rolling dough - because instead of 12x15 rectangles, mine were more like the shape of Australia!

Please check out the rest of the talented Daring Bakers attempts at Lavash Crackers here.

And stay tuned - hopefully I'll have a new post by the end of the weekend!

Daring Bakers - Filbert Gateau

It's Daring Baker time again!
I'm leaving town for a week tomorrow, so I'm setting this to post automatically on the 30th. I don't have too much time to comment on the recipe, but it was certainly CHALLENGING this month. I learned a lot! And the cake was tasty!
Please be sure to check out all the other Daring Baker's wonderful creations at the Daring Baker Blogroll!

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream
From Great Cakes by Carol Walter

1 Filbert Gateau
1 recipe sugar syrup, flavored with dark rum
1 recipe Praline Buttercream
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 recipe Apricot Glaze
1 recipe Ganache Glaze, prepared just before using
3 tablespoons filberts, toasted and coarsely chopped



Filbert Gateau
Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.
1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted/skinned **see note below gateau recipe for skinning nuts**
2/3 cup cake flour, unsifted
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
7 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar, divided ¼ & ¾ cups
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. grated lemon rind
5 lg. egg whites
¼ cup warm, clarified butter (100 – 110 degrees)*see note below for clarified butter*

Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10” X 2” inch round cake pan. Using a food processor, process nuts, cake flour, and cornstarch for about 30 seconds. Then, pulse the mixture about 10 times to get a fine, powdery mixture. You’ll know the nuts are ready when they begin to gather together around the sides of the bowl. While you want to make sure there aren’t any large pieces, don’t over-process. Set aside. Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add ¾ cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside.Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another ½ minute. Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute. Pour the warm butter in a liquid measure cup (or a spouted container). Put the nut meal in a mesh strainer (or use your hand – working quickly) and sprinkle it into egg mixture about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 Tbsp. of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds. With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon. If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking.Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely.
If not using the cake right away, wrap thoroughly in plastic wrap, then in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If freezing, wrap in foil, then the bag and use within 2-3 months.


*To clarify butter, cut it into pieces and place it in a saucepan over moderate heat. When the butter has melted, skim off the foam, and strain the clear yellow liquid into a bowl, leaving the milky residue in the bottom of the pan.*

**To skin hazelnuts, boil 6 cups water in deep pot, then add 2 tbsp baking soda and nuts. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain in strainer and rinse. It was still REALLY difficult to skin them - my least favorite step!**

Praline Buttercream
1 recipe Swiss Buttercream
1/3 cup praline paste
1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. Jamaican rum (optional)
Blend ½ cup buttercream into the paste, then add to the remaining buttercream. Whip briefly on med-low speed to combine. Blend in rum.


Praline Paste
1 cup (4 ½ oz.) Hazelnuts, toasted/skinless
2/3 cup Sugar
Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter. Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. **Remember – extremely hot mixture.** Then onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle. Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch or process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make paste, process for several minutes. Store in an airtight container and store in a cook dry place. Do not refrigerate.











Swiss Buttercream
4 lg. egg whites
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1 ½ -2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice
1 tsp. vanilla

Place the egg whites in a lg/ bowl of a elevtric mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the whites are foamy and they begin to thicken (just before the soft peak stage). Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Then, whisk in the sugar by adding 1-2 tablespoon of sugar at a time over a minutes time. Continue beating 2-3 minutes or until the whites are warm (about 120 degrees) and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should look thick and like whipped marshmallows.Remove from pan and with either the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and sugar on med-high until its a thick, cool meringue – about 5-7 minutes. *Do not overbeat*. Set aside. Place the butter in a separate clean mixing bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed for 40-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. *Do not overbeat or the butter will become toooooo soft.*On med-low speed, blend the meringue into the butter, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, over 1 minute. Add the liqueur and vanilla and mix for 30-45 seconds longer, until thick and creamy. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before using.

Wait! My buttercream won’t come together! Reheat the buttercream briefly over simmering water for about 5 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon. Be careful and do not overbeat. The mixture will look broken with some liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Return the bowl to the mixer and whip on medium speed just until the cream comes back together.

Wait! My buttercream is too soft! Chill the buttercream in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes and rewhip. If that doesn’t work, cream an additional 2-4 Tbsp. of butter in a small bowl– making sure the butter is not as soft as the original amount, so make sure is cool and smooth. On low speed, quickly add the creamed butter to the buttercream, 1 Tbsp. at a time.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 6 months. If freezing, store in 2 16-oz. plastic containers and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours.






Sugar Syrup
Makes 1 cup, good for one 10-inch cake – split into 3 layers
1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. dark rum or orange flavored liqueur

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake. *Can be made in advance.

Assembling Cake (part 1)

Cut a cardboard disk slightly smaller than the cake. Divide the cake into 3 layers and place the first layer top-side down on the disk. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layer with 3-4 Tbsp. of warm sugar syrup. Measure out 1 cup of praline buttercream and set aside.Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the remaining buttercream. Cover with ½ of the whipped cream, leaving ¼-inch border around the edge of the cake. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spreading with buttercream. Cover with the remaining whipped cream. Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes.





Apricot Glaze
Good for one 10-inch cake
2/3 cup thick apricot preserves
1 Tbsp. water

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the glaze is still warm. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.



Assembling Cake (Part 2)
Lift the cake by sliding your palm under the cardboard. Holding a serrated or very sharp night with an 8-ich blade held parallel to the sides of the cake, trim the sides so that they are perfectly straight. Cut a slight bevel at the top to help the glaze drip over the edge. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache.



Ganache Glaze

Makes about 1 cup, enough to cover the top and sides of a 9 or 10 inch layer or tube cake
6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt
6 oz. (¾ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, Cointreay, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)
¾ tsp. vanilla
½ - 1 tsp. hot water, if needed

Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside. Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside. Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 tsp hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!














Assembling Cake (part 3)
Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing.


Use leftover Praline Buttercream to decorat cake as you please. Sprinkle chopped nuts on cake.


Serve and Enjoy!!



Yum!

Who..meme?

I'm pretty new to the blog-world. So I had no idea what it meant when Alexis from Baking to Destress tagged me with a meme. A meme? Is that a typo? Is it some sort of initiation into a secret society of bloggers? Is it a cult? No - it's nothing that insidious - just a fun way to get to know a little more about your fellow bloggers. When checked the google for the word Meme, I found several meanings, but I think this explanation from The Daily Meme is the most appropriate one for me : "In the context of web logs / 'blogs / blogging and other kinds of personal web sites it's some kind of list of questions that you saw somewhere else and you decided to answer the questions. Then someone else sees them and does them and so on and so on. "


So here are the rules to this meme:

• Link to the person who tagged you.


• Post the rules on the blog.


• Write six random things about yourself.


• Tag six people at the end of your post.


• Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


• Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Now for the 6 random things about me:

1. I feel compelled several times a day to read Perez Hilton and Go Fug Yourself

2. This year will be the first time I can vote in the presidential elections! (I was naturalized just after the last inauguration)

. I spilled Diet Coke (another addiction) on my keyboard last week, so now several keys stick and several don't work at all, like the number three!

4. I'll be running in the Army 10-Miler in less than three months, but I haven't run more than 2 miles in a row since February! (Yikes!)

5. Salt and Vinegar is my chip flavor of choice. (I bought a bag as comfort food after my husband left town a few days ago!)

6. My guilty TV pleasure is watching endless episodes of Bravo reality TV - Top Chef, Work Out, Flipping Out, Kathy Griffith - My Life on the D-List, etc.



And finally - here are the lucky bloggers who will be tagged by me for a meme:

Lili of Maybe Baby

Suzie of Green Girl Gone Wild

Robyn of Culinary Adventures

Lisa of Lunch Bucket Bento

Jenny of Jenny Bakes

Rigby of Butterbur's Bistro

(The bloggers were chosen from my real-life bloggie friends and some fellow DBers who left me some kinds comments!)

**I do realize this is slightly chain letter-ish, but I promise nothing bad will happen to you if you don't pass it on. You'll still have the same luck you always have, no one will think you don't love Jesus, and I'll still read your blog!

Daring Bakers Challenge - Danish Braid

Here we are again - another tasty Daring Bakers Challenge! This month's challenge is the Danish Braid! This month's recipe was by DB members Kelly of Sass and Veracity and Ben of What's Cookin'? . The recipe is from Sherry Yard’s The Secrets of Baking. I don't have this book, but if the other recipes are as easy to follow, I should look into it!

Here are some facts about Danish dough:

• Danish dough is in the family of butter-laminated or layered doughs with puff pastry being the ultimate. Danish dough is sweet and is yeast-leavened, however, where as puff pastry is not.

• The process of making Danish dough is less complex than that of puff pastry, but equally as important to achieve best results, and a great starting place to begin to learn about laminated doughs in general.

• Danish dough is extremely versatile, and once made can be used for a variety of baked goods. The possibilities are endless.

I put this one off till 2 days before the deadline - I was feeling nervous about the project - I thought all the new techniques would be too difficult. I haven't made anything with yeast in a long time, and I'm not a good dough roller. But as with last month's challenge, I was surprised with how easily I was able to make this! I also enjoyed being creative with the filling! I used an almond cream and cherry filling. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to make, so I just searched the internet for recipes that had ingredients I was currently stocked up with. (This is partly why I didn't use the apple filling - no apples left!) I had some fresh black cherries, and I had leftover almond meal from last month's challenge. I found this recipe for Almond Cream (and I may make the entire recipe soon - looks tasty!), and this recipe for the cherry filling.

So- here is the recipe as it was given to me. I'll include the apple filling recipe I was given too - it looks like a tasty filling too!

Terminology:

• Laminated dough – is layered dough created by sandwiching butter between layers of dough

• Detrempe – ball of dough

• Beurrage – butter block

• Turn – each “fold & roll” of the dough produces a single turn in a 3-step process where the dough is folded exactly like a business letter in 3 columns. Each single turn creates 3 layers with this method.

DANISH DOUGH

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients

For the dough (Detrempe)

1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

Zest of 1 orange, finely grated

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

2 large eggs, chilled

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH

Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Directions if you don't have a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

BUTTER BLOCK

1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

(Look how beautiful the dough is - flecks of orange zest and black vanilla seeds)

(You can see some of the butter squirting out of the dough after the first turn. I just smeared it back on the dough before folding it again.)

4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Almond Cream
- makes about 1 1/4 cups -
Ingredients :
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

3/4 cup ground blanched almonds

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 large egg, at room temperature

Directions:
Working in a food processor, put the butter and confectioners’ sugar in the workbowl. Process until the mixture is smooth and satiny. Add the ground almonds and continue to process until well blended. Add the flour and cornstarch, process, then add the egg. Process for about 15 seconds more, or until the almond cream is homogeneous. Scrape the almond cream into a container and either use immediately or refrigerate until firm. (Keeping: The almond cream can be packed airtight and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator, then beat it with a spatula or spoon to bring back its original consistency.)

Cherry Filling

Ingredients:

1 pound bag frozen pitted cherries, or pound fresh pitted cherries
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Place cherries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pan. Heat on medium until cherries begin to release their liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer and heat until cherry mixture has thickened.

I pitted the cherries by hand after cutting them in half. Luckily I have this great kitchen scale to weigh the cherries - thanks to my good friend Lili who gave it to me for my b'day!

This is what my hands looked like after the cherries!

Apple Filling

Makes enough for two braids

Ingredients

4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.

Danish Braid

Makes enough for 2 large braids *

Ingredients

1 recipe Danish Dough (see above)

2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see above)

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

*I cut the dough in half before beginning these directions, then followed the directions for each half of the dough. The size was smaller, but I made sure it was 1/ inch thick.

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.

2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.

I made indentations in the dough before I began cutting to make sure the cuts would be even and would leave enough room for the filling.

3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash

Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

(I did this AFTER the proofing. See picture below)

Proofing and Baking

1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours **, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.

**Proofing Temperature For Fresh Dough (room temp) For Refrigerated Dough

Degrees F Degrees C

70 ~ 21 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. 2-1/2 to 3 hrs.

75 ~ 24 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hrs. 2 to 2-1/2hrs.

80 ~ 27 1 to 1-1/4 hrs. 1-1/2 to 2 hrs.

85 ~ 29 45 min. to 1 hr. 1 to 1-1/2 hrs.

90 ~ 32 45 min. 1 hr.

This was our temp, and the dough was refrigerated overnight, so I proofed mine for a little over 2 hours.

And I did the egg wash AFTER the proofing - I didn't like the thought of the egg sitting on the dough for 2 hours!

2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

This braid was looser - it looked at bit like a ribcage. We ate this one today!

This braid was perfect! I'm very pleased with how it turned out!

Of course I sample the braid today. I loved it. I really enjoyed the orange and cardamom flavor, and I thought the filling I made turned out well. I think it could have used some more filling, but I was afraid of it getting messy and bubbling out. Next time I'll add more filling for sure!

Be sure to check out all the other amazing Daring Bakers versions of the Danish Braid by visiting the Daring Bakers Blogroll!

One final note: The flavoring of the dough was pretty strong, and my husband is apparantely not such a fan of the orange/cardamom combination, so sadly he did not enjoy my fine creation. I'm not going to take it personally (or I'm trying not to anyway!), because I know that taste is very subjective. Oh well, more for me....