Apple and sultana Danish pastries

Name: Apple and sultana Danish pastries
Yield: 12 pastries
Cuisine: Denmark
Ingredients: 330 g Plain flour Unbleached all-purpose flour, around 11–12% protein.; 33.5 g Granulated sugar; 7.5 g Fine salt; 6 g Instant dried yeast; 14 g Unsalted butter for the dough Cold, cut small.; 113.5 g Whole milk Cold.; 45 g Water Cold.; 50 g Beaten whole egg About one medium egg without its shell.; 213 g Unsalted butter for layering Cool but pliable, never oily or melted.; 35 g Flour for rolling Use only light dustings and brush off surplus.; 300 g Prepared apple Peeled, cored and cut into small cubes; choose a firm cooking apple.; 40 g Sultanas Soft dried fruit without added alcohol.; 20 g Sugar for the filling; 1 g Ground cinnamon; 30 g Water for cooking the apples; 25 g Beaten egg for brushing; 5 g Water for the egg wash; 40 g Smooth apricot jam Without added alcohol.; 10 g Water for the glaze

Makes: 12 pastries
Heat: 200°C conventional
Baking time: 18–22 min per tray;36–44 min for two trays
Cuisine / style: Denmark

Keep the second proofed tray chilled while the first bakes.

Denmark · Danish pastry

Apple and sultana Danish pastries

Yeast pastry layered with butter, folded around a soft apple-and-sultana centre and brushed with apricot glaze. Start the dough the day before and keep it cool while rolling.

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Ingredients

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Dough	Plain flour	330 g	Unbleached all-purpose flour, around 11–12% protein.
Dough	Granulated sugar	33.5 g
Dough	Fine salt	7.5 g
Dough	Instant dried yeast	6 g
Dough	Unsalted butter for the dough	14 g	Cold, cut small.
Dough	Whole milk	113.5 g	Cold.
Dough	Water	45 g	Cold.
Dough	Beaten whole egg	50 g	About one medium egg without its shell.
Lamination	Unsalted butter for layering	213 g	Cool but pliable, never oily or melted.
Handling	Flour for rolling	35 g	Use only light dustings and brush off surplus.
Filling	Prepared apple	300 g	Peeled, cored and cut into small cubes; choose a firm cooking apple.
Filling	Sultanas	40 g	Soft dried fruit without added alcohol.
Filling	Sugar for the filling	20 g
Filling	Ground cinnamon	1 g
Filling	Water for cooking the apples	30 g
Finish	Beaten egg for brushing	25 g
Finish	Water for the egg wash	5 g
Glaze	Smooth apricot jam	40 g	Without added alcohol.
Glaze	Water for the glaze	10 g

Tools & alternatives

Utensil checklist

Tick the tools you have ready. Choose the recommended tool or its workaround; keep the specified pan size and heat rating.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Mixing bowl	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Rolling pin	Use a clean, smooth, sturdy bottle with its cap secured. Roll gently; for pastry, keep the bottle cool and dry.
Ruler	Use a clean kitchen ruler or tape measure beside the dough to check dimensions.
Baking paper	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Wrap or covered container	Use a food-safe container of similar capacity with a loose lid or plate. Leave room for rising; do not seal fermenting dough airtight.
Pastry brush	For a cool wash or cool pan, use the back of a spoon or a folded food-safe paper towel. Keep fingers away from hot fat and cookware.
Small saucepan	An ordinary sturdy saucepan of suitable capacity is enough. Leave room for foaming or boiling; use a deep heavy pot for frying.
Shallow filling container	Use a food-safe container of similar capacity with a loose lid or plate. Leave room for rising; do not seal fermenting dough airtight.
Sharp knife or pastry wheel	A clean, sharp kitchen knife is enough; use a serrated knife where the method calls for one.
Two baking trays	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
30×40 cm	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Oven gloves	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Timing & recipe details

Time & temperature

Baking temperature: 200°C conventional
Baking time: 18–22 min per tray;36–44 min for two trays

Keep the second proofed tray chilled while the first bakes.

Makes: 12 pastries
Heat: 200°C conventional
Plan for: 1100 min total; 95 min active

Method

01 · Mix the dough and chill
65–70 min
Use: Plain flour; Granulated sugar; Fine salt; Instant dried yeast; Unsalted butter for the dough; Whole milk; Water; Beaten whole egg
Mix the dough flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Rub in the 14 g dough butter, then add the cold milk, water and dough egg. Mix and knead gently for 3–5 minutes, until cohesive but still slightly tacky. Flatten into a thick rectangle, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Ready when: No dry flour remains; the chilled dough is cool and firm without being frozen.
01 Mix and chill the doughMix a cohesive dough, wrap and chill until cool and firm.
02 · Enclose the layering butter
10–15 min
Use: Unsalted butter for layering; Flour for rolling
Between two sheets of baking paper, pound the 213 g layering butter into a 15 cm square. It should bend under pressure without cracking or becoming greasy. Lightly flour the worktop and roll the dough to 16×32 cm. Put the butter on one half, leaving a narrow border; fold the empty half over and pinch the edges shut.
Ready when: One complete butter block is sealed inside the dough, with no exposed butter. Dough and butter feel similarly pliable.
02 Enclose the butter onceEnclose the single pliable butter block and seal the dough edges.
03 · Make three letter turns and chill overnight
560–805 min
Use: Flour for rolling
Roll the packet gently to 20×45 cm. Brush off loose flour. Fold one short end over the middle third, then the other end over it, like a letter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Turn the packet 90 degrees and repeat this rolling, folding and 30 minute chill once. Turn it again and make a third letter fold in the same way. Wrap securely and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Chill earlier if butter starts to soften or escape.
Ready when: After three letter folds the packet is neat and cool, with the butter still enclosed. No extra butter is added during the turns.
03 Make the letter turnsGive three letter turns with chilling, then rest overnight.
04 · Cook and chill the apple filling
15–45 min
Use: Prepared apple; Sugar for the filling; Ground cinnamon; Water for cooking the apples; Sultanas
While the dough chills, cook the apple, filling sugar, cinnamon and filling water in a small saucepan over gentle heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring until the pieces soften and loose liquid evaporates. Stir in the sultanas. Spread in a shallow container, cool promptly, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
Ready when: The filling is soft but holds a spoonful without a puddle of juice. It must be cold before touching the pastry.
04 Cook and chill the fillingCook away loose liquid, add sultanas and chill the filling.
05 · Cut twelve squares and fill
15–20 min
Use: Flour for rolling; Prepared apple; Sultanas
Line two 30×40 cm trays. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 30×40 cm, about 6 mm thick. Trim only ragged edges if needed, then cut a three-by-four grid of 10 cm squares. Fold each corner toward the centre and press the overlapping tips together. Place six pastries on each tray. Divide 300 g of the cold filling between the centres, 25 g each; keep any extra filling separately.
Ready when: There are twelve pastries with clear folded corners and compact centres. Filling does not run onto the cut edges.
05 Fold and fill twelve squaresFold the corners and add 25 g of cold filling to each centre.
06 · Proof gently and heat the oven
60–90 min
Use:
Cover loosely and leave at 20–24°C for 60–90 minutes. Keep them away from direct heat so the butter stays inside the layers. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional during the final 20 minutes. When both trays are puffy, refrigerate the second tray while the first bakes.
Ready when: The pastries are visibly fuller and light-looking, with distinct layered edges and no pool of melted butter.
06 Proof without melting the butterProof gently until fuller, with the butter kept inside the layers.
07 · Brush and bake one tray at a time
38–47 min
Use: Beaten egg for brushing; Water for the egg wash
Mix the separate wash egg and water. Brush exposed dough lightly, avoiding the cut layered edges. Bake the first tray for 18–22 minutes, then bake the second for the same range. Lift a pastry carefully to check its base.
Ready when: The pastry is golden on top and underneath, with set layers around the filling rather than a wet dough band.
07 Bake one tray at a timeBrush exposed dough and bake one tray at a time until golden underneath.
08 · Glaze and cool
30–35 min
Use: Smooth apricot jam; Water for the glaze
Warm the apricot jam with its glaze water until smooth. Brush a thin layer over each warm pastry and move it onto a rack. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Ready when: The glaze makes a light sheen and the pastry centre is set; the apple filling is warm rather than scalding.
08 Glaze lightly and coolBrush with a thin apricot glaze and cool before serving.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Mix the dough and chill	No dry flour remains; the chilled dough is cool and firm without being frozen.
Enclose the layering butter	One complete butter block is sealed inside the dough, with no exposed butter. Dough and butter feel similarly pliable.
Make three letter turns and chill overnight	After three letter folds the packet is neat and cool, with the butter still enclosed. No extra butter is added during the turns.
Cook and chill the apple filling	The filling is soft but holds a spoonful without a puddle of juice. It must be cold before touching the pastry.
Cut twelve squares and fill	There are twelve pastries with clear folded corners and compact centres. Filling does not run onto the cut edges.
Proof gently and heat the oven	The pastries are visibly fuller and light-looking, with distinct layered edges and no pool of melted butter.
Brush and bake one tray at a time	The pastry is golden on top and underneath, with set layers around the filling rather than a wet dough band.
Glaze and cool	The glaze makes a light sheen and the pastry centre is set; the apple filling is warm rather than scalding.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Butter breaks into hard pieces while rolling.	The butter is colder and firmer than the dough.	Pause briefly until the packet becomes pliable, then roll gently.	Match the firmness of butter and dough before enclosing.
Butter smears out through the dough.	The packet warmed too much or was pressed too hard.	Cover and refrigerate until firm, then continue gently.	Work in a cool room and keep the inter-turn chilling periods.
The centre stays wet.	The filling was too watery or the pastry was underbaked.	Return to the oven until the surrounding dough and base are set, shielding the top if needed.	Cook away loose filling liquid, use it cold and check the pastry base.

Storage: Best on the day. Once cool, refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat at 160°C conventional for 8–10 minutes to refresh the pastry. Freeze cooled pastries for up to 1 month and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.; Contains: wheat, milk, egg, sulphites if present in the dried fruit.; This Nepedia version has not been kitchen-tested.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

No brand is specified.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recipe

Apple and sultana Danish pastries

Yeast pastry layered with butter, folded around a soft apple-and-sultana centre and brushed with apricot glaze. Start the dough the day before and keep it cool while rolling.

Include step photos when printing