Serves:

Ingredients:

1 c Crushed sugar cubes or pearl
-sugar
1 c Sliced almonds
Water
Almond Icing (optional)
DANISH PASTRY
3 1/4 c All-purpose flour
1 1/4 c Cold unsalted butter, cut in
-1/4-inch slices
1/4 c Warm water
2 pk Active dry yeast
1/2 c Evaporated milk, room
-temperature
1/4 c Sugar
2 Eggs, room temperature
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Ground cardamom, optional

Method:

Makes 2 dozen pastries Danish Pastry Buttercream Pastry Filling Almond Buttercream Pastry Filling Fit processor with steel blade.
Measure 2 cups of the flour and butter into work bowl.
Process on/off 6 to 10 times or just until butter is no smaller than kidney beans.
Transfer flour-butter mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups of the flour.
Refit processor with steel blade.
Measure water and yeast into work bowl.
Process until yeast is dissolved.
Blend milk, sugar, eggs, salt and cardamom, if desired, into yeast mixture.
Let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture.
Stir just enough to moisten flour (dough should be crumbly like a biscuit dough, not smooth and satiny like most yeast doughs.
) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 - 24 hours.
Prepare Danish Pastry as directed and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
Prepare fillings.
Divide Pastry into 4 equal parts.
Roll out each part, one at a time, into a 12-inch square.
Spread 1/4 cup of the Buttercream across center third of the dough.
Spread about 1/3 cup of the Almond Buttercream evenly over Buttercream.
Fold one unfilled third of dough over fillings, then fold other unfilled third of dough over it.
Pinch to seal well.
Flatten slightly with hands.
Combine sugar and almonds.
Cut dough crosswise into 2-inch slices.
Dip slices in water, then coat with sugar-almond mixture and place flat on ungreased cookie sheets.
Cut 4 parallel 1-inch cuts along one long edge of each slice.
Curve slice slightly to spread the cuts.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 F.
Uncover dough and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove pastries from cookie sheets and place on wire rack.
Prepare Almond Icing, if desired, and drizzle over pastries.
BUTTERCREAM PASTRY FILLING 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 tsp vanilla Fit processor with steel blade.
Measure all ingredients into work bowl.
Process until smooth and creamy (do not overprocess).
Stop food processor and scrape sides of bowl during processing, if necessary.
Makes about 1 cup.
ALMOND BUTTERCREAM PASTRY FILLING 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 cup almond paste Follow dirctions for BUTTERCREAM PASTRY FILLING.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
ALMOND ICING: Blend 1 1/3 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon hot water, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until smooth.