Danish Wienerbrød
A couple of years ago my husband and I attended a week-long seminar at the John C. Campbell Folk School in beautiful Brasstown, North Carolina. The school is based on the Danish design of a “Folkehøjskole” which is a non-competitive setup and emphasizing on teaching practical skills. They offer classes in anything from Clay to Dance to Knitting to Music to Woodworking, and so much more. Your days at the Folk School are filled with many activities from sunrise to sunset, but although busy it is also relaxing and the school is set in an incredibly peaceful environment. Joe took Blacksmithing and I took Scandinavian Baking. The baking class was taught by Kim Hendrickson who was full of useful baking/cooking tips and who had answers to all of my 101 questions about yeast and baking techniques. It was a week filled with baking delicious treats, some of which I was familiar with and some which were new to me. I hope that Joe and I can one day go back to the Folk School for more classes for we had such a wonderful time there and we got to meet so many interesting people.
I have known Wienerbrød my entire life but I had never attempted to make it until my Folk School stay. Wienerbrød is a Danish specialty and outside of Denmark it is referred to as a “Danish”, but believe me, it is nothing like the Danish that you pick up at your local 7/11. Wienerbrød comes in many different shapes and with numerous types of fillings. There are two ways to make this dough, that I know of. The traditional way is to roll out the yeast dough, cover parts of it with thinly sliced butter, fold into numerous layers, roll out and repeat folding and rolling. This process of rolling and folding the dough with the butter is what gives the pastry a crisp and flaky texture. The second method is the “quick” method where flour and butter is combined in a food processor and pulsed until the butter is the size of kidney beans. You still have to roll and fold the dough several times and so I’m not really sure it’s any quicker, but the dough turns out perfectly. Wienerbrød is a time-consuming pastry to make but the outcome is super delicious and so if you decided to make it, I am confident that you won’t regret it. Please enjoy.
Update: This recipe makes 2 braids. You can easily freeze half of the dough for later use. Wrap dough in cling wrap, then wax or parchment paper and finally a freezer bag. When ready to use defrost in refrigeator.
Wienerbrød
Makes 2 pastry braids.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour (480 grams or 19.9 oz)
1 1/2 cups cold unsalted butter (345 grams or 12.2 oz)
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (or 50 grams cake/fresh yeast)
1/2 cup warm water (100 – 110 degrees Fahrenheit) (118 milliliter)
1/2 cup heavy cream (118 milliliter)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar (55 grams or 1.9 oz)
Filling:
seedless raspberry preserves
Glazing:
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
pearl sugar, for topping
sliced almonds, optional, for topping
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar (100 gram or 3.5 oz)
2-3 teaspoons warm milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
Place flour into bowl of food processor with steel blade. Cut butter into 1/4 inch slices and add to flour. Pulse flour and butter until the butter is the size of kidney beans.
In a large bowl, dissolve active dry yeast in warm water (between 100-110 degrees F). Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream, cardamom, salt, eggs and sugar. Using a rubber spatula, turn the flour/butter mixture into the liquid and carefully mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, overnight or up to 4 days.
Turn the dough out onto a moderately floured surface. Roll out dough to make a 16 to 20 inch square. Fold dough into thirds, rotate dough a quarter of turn and fold into thirds again, making a small square. Turn over dough. Repeat rolling and folding another two times (making it a total 3 times of rolling and folding). Ending with a small square, wrap dough and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Divide the chilled dough into two parts. Roll each part into a 6 x 12 inch rectangle. (If not making both braids at the same time, wrap the second half of dough and place in refrigerator until ready to roll out).
Spread filling down the length of center of each rectangle. Cut slanting strips at 3/4 inch intervals along both sides towards to center. Fold strips over the filling in a criss-cross manner. Place both braids onto baking sheets and let dough rise for 15-30 minutes until pastry appears puffy. It will not double in size. Lightly beat the egg and water for the glaze. Once dough has been allowed to rise, brush the pastry with the glaze. sprinkle with pearl sugar and/or almonds.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. To make icing, mix together powdered sugar, warm milk and almond extract. Drizzle icing on top and let set before cutting. Enjoy!
Sliced butter and flour, pulse
notice butter is the size of kidney beans
fold dough into thirds, then into thirds again, roll out
place filling in center, make cuts slated towards center
fold strips in a criss cross manner
Wienerbrød
Source: Kim Hendrickson at J. C. Campbell Folk School
How necessary is the cardamom? If I don’t have any, can I use a replacement or go without?
The pastry is your creation and you can make it whichever way you like, with or without cardamom 😉
Hi i just did the dough and over pulsed my flour/butter mixture (because i did it by hand) and i think my butter is a little too much but only by a little. And i ended up with a really wet dough ):
I chilled it for 10 hours, and i just finished rolling the really wet mixture with much difficulty. and chilling it now.
Is it ruined, or will the end product just be not as flaky, or do i try to salvage it by adding lots more flour?
PS i halved the recipe and followed it to a T except for slightly overdosing the butter by say 20g at most?
Hope you could reply soon! Thanks so much 🙂
Sorry this is not a quick reply, it’s not every day I make it on the pc. You do not want to over pulse/mix the dough, but it sounds like it needs a little more flour. Hope it turns out for you!
hi that’s a really gorgeous braided pastry! 🙂 was wondering if you have any idea how to alter the recipe if i’d like to substitute the raspberry preserves with say chocolate and maybe bananas? reduce the baking time or…?
thanks so much, can’t wait to make them 🙂
Hi C, were you thinking a chocolate paste? or mashed bananas? something like that. I would do some experimenting with the filling, but I don’t think you need to change the baking time since it’s just the filling you are changing 🙂
Hey there! I was in beautiful Denmark a few years ago, where I was invited for dinner and got to taste this delicious pastry, I never forgot about it. Thank you for sharing! Will make it this week! 😀
Hejsa Gitte !!!!
Jeg bor i Israel,elsker at bage,har en stor familie,der elsker at spise bagvaerk,saa det er bare fint……Og “dit” gode wienerbroed er bare lige sagen ! Det var foerste gang ,jeg laeste en “blog”,lidt nysgerrigt saadan at laese med i “dit liv”…Men en fin oplevelse for mig.Du lyder til at vaere en meget soed “pige” Tilykke med soelvbrylluppet !!!
Tusind tak for de gode opskrifter !
Venlig hilsen Helle
Helle, Tak for de søde ord. Jeg er rigtig glad for at høre du godt kan lide mit Wienerbrød og at du kan lide at følge med i bloggen. Det er jo dejligt at have lidt Dansk kontakt i daglig dagen når man er så langt væk hjemmefra 🙂
Spectacular! We should all get to eat this every week-end – even if we don’t live in Denmark! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
My pleasure 🙂
Hi! I just stumbled across your blog and I am SO happy I did! I moved to America (from Denmark) with my parents when I was little, and I grew up eating Danish food, but now that I am out on my own, I am craving all my favorite danish foods but don’t know how to make them…I can’t tell you how excited I was to see a wienerbrød and a remoulade recipe in the same place!! Thank you!!
I am so glad My little Danish Kitchen could make you happy 🙂
Beautiful pastry it looks a lot better then the ones you find in the store. You are a full blown pastry chef, what a great experience you had. I need to make this one soon… LOVE IT !!
Gorgeous Danish, is that okay to say?
The class sounds so interesting, pastry is a subject I never get tired of- both making and eating!
Happy New Year, I look forward to your posts in the new year:)
What is there about raspberry preserves, cardamon and Danes, lol. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a good piece of Wienerbrød, so I guess I know what I’m making this weekend. Thanks for the recipe.
I know, what is up with that 🙂
Gitte, this danish is beautiful. I can only imagine how good it must of smelled baking. I love this, I bookmarked it so I can try it one day. I wish I had some right now. That class must of been fun, I love learning stuff like this. Hope you have a great weekend!
-Gina-
I’d give my left arm for a slice of that and a cup of coffee right now!
I’m always weary of pastry – it never seems to go right when it’s in my hands. But I’ll just have to swallow my pride and try my best, because I really want to try this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Yah North Carolina! 😀 And yah, Danish pastries!
Beautiful. I want a slice! 😉 Very inviting pastry.
How beautiful! I wish I had this for breakfast today! 🙂
Well, there goes my New Year’s resolutions. 🙂
the pictures look awesome- never tried the pastry. your description and pics makes me wanna try it out!
I have always shyed away from making pastries because i can never braid them and make them look as good as yours. But, now thank god you have shared these instructions with pictures…i am not as scared of giving these a shot:)
I am a visual person as well and pictures make a big difference. I hope you do try it out. 🙂
delicious bread looks good
This looks so good! It’s so pretty I’d almost not want to eat it…almost! 😉 Great photos too!
Yummi, I can’t wait to try this recipe out, this is going to be my first time making wienerbrød. Back in DK i just went to the “bageren” to get my wienerbrød. It’s been a while since I had some good danish:)
Thanks for sharing:))
Monica
Well that didn’t work out for me… hmmm… I did something wrong!!! I’m not sure what though!!!
Oh no, what went wrong?
I’d love to be able to make real live “Danish” at home — and my husband would love me all the more for it, too. I’m glad you and your Joe went to the Folk School and got inspired. It sounds like a wonderful event. I hope you go back and bring back some more goodies. I’m putting this in my “save” pile for a not-so-distant-future baking session.
Thanks!
When I think of Danish, this pastry is what I imagine! Oh that looks incredible…I’d love it with my coffee! 🙂
That danish looks so delicious and pretty! It would be great with a nice cup of tea. The cooking class sounds like it was fun too. I wonder where there might be something like that in my area?
What a wonderful experience that must have been. I’d love to do something like that. I am not ready to attempt this recipe yet…but one day I will!
Staci, it was the most fulfilling, challenging, fun, relaxing and therapeutic experience I have had. The school also offer morning songs, story telling, bird watching etc and the school is located in the beautiful mountains. Perfect.
What a gorgeous danish…I’m copying your recipe to try…THANKS!!!
Thanks Liz, I know you’ll love it.
Kim,
I am so excited to find your Danish pastry recipe!
My grandmother (German origin) made a mouth-watering “Danish pastry” but my mom never learned to do it. Then, I married a man whose grandmother came over from Denmark and also made wonderful Danish delights…again…no recipes passed on.
Now that I’m retired, I have the time to try my hand at it and your photos and directions don’t seem nearly as intimidating as other sources. Wish me luck!
Sincerely,
Anne Jorgensen
I wish you the best of luck and I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Wienerbrød can seem a little intimidating but after you have made it once youll feel much more confident. By the way, I tried freezing half of the dough for later and that worked really well. Just wrap dough in cling wrap, then parchment paper and a freezer bag. When ready to use, thaw in refrigeator.