Memories… All Alone in the Moonlight….
This Daring Baker challenge brought back memories of working at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston. Waking up at 3:00, (yes, that is AM) being alone in the huge kitchen at 4:00 and baking off the Danish and muffins for the day. Good times… good times. Well, not so much. I can honestly say I don’t miss that! Plus I had to listen to the creepy overnight cook ask for the 100th time… Time to make the donuts? No you idiot. I don’t make donuts. Stop asking me that! Sheesh!
This challenge from Kelly and Ben was to make the infamous laminated Danish Dough and shape it into a braid. It’s extremely time consuming, and perhaps a little difficult, but not impossible. The outcome however, is worth the time invested, as its fabulously delicious. Luckily, I have experience making Danish Dough from my year of working the morning shift. Of course, I had a sheeter (dough roller) at my disposal, which makes the job so much easier.
This was my first time making laminated dough at home, and it wasn’t as easy as when I made it in the hotel. The hardest part was keeping my dough cool enough. I tried to work as quickly as possible to ensure the butter block wouldn’t melt. I also found it better to let it rest between turns for 45 minutes instead of 30.
As for the braid, I chose to do the exact recipe given, apple filling. What a good choice. It was fantastic… The apples still had texture, and the caramelized sugar worked nicely with it.
I split the work into three days. The first weekend, I made the dough and froze it. The second weekend, I assembled and baked the braid on Saturday and the remainder of the assorted pastries on Sunday. I can tell you my husband is one happy man right now! I told him not to get used to this… we’re back to dry wheat toast next weekend Mister!
The small danish were an assortment of flavors and fillings. The spirals were smeared with a little pastry cream, sprinkled liberally with cinnamon sugar and chopped almonds before rolling. The squares are filled with pastry cream (after baking) and topped with fresh raspberries. All pastries were brushed with apricot glaze afterwards to give them a little sweetness, make them shiny and keep them moist.
Check out the other Daring Bakers posts here. Also, to see my past daring baker posts, go here. Lastly, to find the recipes, go to Kelly or Ben’s blogs.
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Your braid and smaller pastries are absolutely gorgeous!
Aww..the mini breads look so cute… can I have one? ;)
Wow these looks fantastic, and the fresh berries were wonderful I’m sure, absolutely divine!!!
candance… i know what you are saying about 3am!!! I remember that too but I worked at the Ritz Carlton!! Beautiful danish you made and the photos atunning!
Nice job here. I’m still adjusting to at-home baking too, mainly the lack of space!!
Wow!!! Absolutely beautiful braid & danishes. What a great job!
Ooh…your braid looks delish but it’s the miniature danish I’m going ga-ga over. Just precious!
Your braids look so deliciously scrumptious… I am new to the daring bakers and loving the introduction to so many great blogs as much as the challenges. Now I am off to salivate over your other DB challenges.
Ali
http://www.peaandpear.com
Absolutely beautiful.
if i had your job making pastires they would have had to roll me out of that kitchen in a year!! your pastries look beautiful!!
Wow…those smaller danishes look gorgeous! They are so perfect. Amazing work!
Gorgeous! I love all your shapes, they are so inviting! I did a batch while working overnight at the restaurant this time. 125F in the kitchen, I rolled my dough while in the walk-in :)
Oh and Candace: this month, parchment paper was my friend! Made moving the braid a breeze!
WOW - your braid is beautiful, and your pastries look amazing!
wow your little danishes look amazing! I like the apricot glaze idea. I have half the dough still in the freezer ao I’m excited for your influence, hopefully my next ones will be as beautiful as yours, great job!
the shapes are really cute. tiny and dainty!
I too had to get up at 3am at some point. That was NOT fun! I love love love those cute pastries with the raspberries!
Stunningly beautiful job!!
So beautiful! So creative! And I am sure extremely delicious too:) Nice job!
This was only your first time making lamented dough?? Could have fooled me - your danishes look EXQUISITE!! Nice work!!
By the way, I just discovered your blog today, and I’m awestruck by your uncanny photography and cooking skills - I have added you to my blogroll, and look forward to reading more posts :0)
Your photography is as stunning as your Danish pastries and braid are!
…the moon is smiling at you. What a gorgeous job of danish - both the braid and the smaller ones. The picture of the danish with the strawberries - oh goodness.
Yes, a sheeter would have been nice, eh?
When people always ask me why I don’t work in a bakery or own one I tell them…3am is when I go to bed…not get up. :)
All of your pastries turned out beautiful.
All pastries are absolutely gorgeous! And, of course, photography is stunning!
Beautiful, as always!
Your pastries look amazing! Great job.
This is really beautiful! I’m glad to have found someone else who has experience with this. Great challenge!
oh my! your pastries are beautiful!
Wow! Your photos are gorgeous. Looks delicious!
stunning photography and baking.
Oh my word! Those pastries look absolutely amazing! Fabulous photographs too!
Everything looks wonderful and delicious! I love your Danish Pastries! Very cute!
Cheers,
Rosa
Indeed the work of a pastry chef! They are all so gorgeous!
Your braid looks wonderful. I love the mini pastries you made too. I haven’t seen the cut swirl shape before.
Gorgeous is what I said when I saw the first picture. And then there’s more!
Love your Danishes. And the pictures are wonderful.
Apple filling will be my next choice for sure! Gorgeous danishes and stunning photos .. as usual!
I love the shapes you made. They are so cute!
Stunning pastries! I am completely smitten with them - Bravo!
I am so psyched I stumbled onto your blog from the Db blogroll! You are AMAZING…I’ve never seen anything like it! Just gorgeous…
-Susan of http://doughmesstic.blogspot.com
Gorgeous shapes. Your time at the Four Seasons was not wasted - that muscle memory will last you a life time!
can i have some? pls. tell stephan not to eat them all.. it’ll go to his waist! LOL.. beautiful job, wish I can do the same thing!
Your braid and danishes look awesome. I love your photos. Wonderful.
gorgeous! i need a braiding tutorial from you. :)
All your pastries look amazing. I had no idea you worked at the Four Seasons in Houston! I am from the Houston area.
Absolutely gorgeous! Well done.
OMG, I had the same schedule baking croissants at 4 a.m. every morning for a German bakery. And if one more person had asked me if it was time to make the damn doughnuts … Like you said, good times.
Your braid is absolutely beautiful.
I found 45 minutes between turns worked the best too… largely because I’d get caught up in something else during the rest periods.
oh my goodness — those look amazing! this is the perfect recipe for a good glaze too — which i only realized after mine was done and eaten!
Absolutely lovely pastry work you’ve done there!
as usual, it looks amazing! i’d expect nothing less of you :-) when you make stuff look so pretty like this you should make videos so we can learn from your skills :-)
Love all your danishes..they look gorgeous..A challenge done well and photgraphed real well…
your little pastries look so cute and yummy!
Great job! Glad the hubby enjoyed it. BTW…I just saw CATS (the weekend I made this, actually!) and enjoyed it, though it’s not my favorite.
Your pastries look wonderful. But that last picture with those four bad-ass looking pastries lookin’ like little works of art? Well now you’re just showin’ off. haha