Danish Pastry Dough

Instructions

1. Prepare the dough base
   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center and add lukewarm milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the butter block
   Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, pound and roll the butter into a 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square. Return to refrigerator if it becomes too soft.
3. Laminate the dough
   Roll the chilled dough into a 12×12-inch (30×30 cm) square. Place the butter block diagonally on the dough. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter to enclose it completely, pinching the seams to seal. Roll the dough into a 10×20-inch (25×50 cm) rectangle.
4. First fold
   Perform the first letter fold: fold the bottom third of the dough up, then fold the top third down (like folding a letter). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Second and third folds
   Remove dough from refrigerator, roll into a 10×20-inch rectangle again, and perform a second letter fold. Chill for 1 hour. Repeat this process one more time for a total of three folds, chilling the dough for at least 2 hours after the final fold.
6. Final rolling
   Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut and shape as desired for various Danish pastries. Cover shaped pastries with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy but not doubled.
7. Bake
   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the pastries with egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before adding glazes or fillings.