Emeril's Basic Danish Dough

Master the art of flaky, buttery perfection with Emeril’s Basic Danish Dough recipe, your ultimate guide to creating bakery-quality pastries at home. This versatile laminated dough combines the rich flavors of whole milk, eggs, and a touch of sugar with the magic of cold butter folded into layers for a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Whether you’re crafting croissants, fruit-filled danishes, or decadent breakfast treats, this dough is the perfect foundation. With step-by-step instructions for kneading, laminating, and chilling, you’ll achieve professional-level results right in your kitchen. Ideal for weekend baking projects or special occasions, Emeril’s Danish dough ensures stunning, golden-brown pastries every time. Perfect your pastry game with this essential recipe!

Nutriscore Rating: 48/100

Prep Time:60 mins

Cook Time:20 mins

Total Time:80 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whole milk
• 2.5 teaspoons Active dry yeast
• 0.33 cup Granulated sugar
• 0.5 cup Unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 large Eggs
• 4 cups All-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted butter (cold, for laminating)
• 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour (for rolling)

Directions

Step 1

Warm the milk gently in a saucepan or microwave until it reaches around 110°F (warm to the touch but not hot). Pour the milk into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top. Allow the yeast to bloom (activate) for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Step 2

Add the granulated sugar, softened butter, and eggs to the milk and yeast mixture. Stir until combined.

Step 3

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a sticky dough begins to form.

Step 4

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.

Step 5

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.

Step 6

While the dough is rising, prepare the butter for laminating. Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it into a thin, even rectangle approximately 7x10 inches. Refrigerate the butter rectangle until firm but pliable.

Step 7

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle roughly 10x15 inches, ensuring the butter rectangle will fit when overlaid.

Step 8

Place the chilled butter rectangle on one half of the dough rectangle, leaving a small border around the edges. Fold the other half of the dough over the butter, sealing the edges tightly to encase the butter.

Step 9

Roll out the dough-butter package into a larger rectangle (about 10x20 inches). Fold it into thirds, like folding a business letter. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, roll it out again, and fold it into thirds again. Repeat this process two more times for a total of four folds. If the butter begins to soften, chill the dough for 20 minutes between folds.

Step 10

After the final fold, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to relax and develop flavor.

Step 11

When ready to bake, roll out the dough to your desired thickness (usually 1/4 inch) and shape it into your chosen pastries.

Step 12

Bake the pastries based on the specific recipe and filling you are using, typically at 375°F (190°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1269.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	4889.4

Total Fat 310.4g	0%
Saturated Fat 190.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Cholesterol 1168.5mg	0%
Sodium 3829.8mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 453.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 14.8g	0%
Total Sugars 79.5g
Protein 77.1g	0%

Vitamin D 389.7IU	0%
Calcium 506.6mg	0%
Iron 24.8mg	0%
Potassium 1267.0mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 56.8%

Protein: 6.3%

Carbs: 36.9%