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Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

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Strawberry Danish Braid

[heart_this] · Jun 29, 2008 · 97 Comments

Strawberry Danish Braid

This months Daring Bakers challenge was a Danish braid and I was really looking forward to making it. The Danish braid is made with Danish pastry dough which is made by folding dough with butter into many layers. The Danish dough should bake up nice and light and buttery and flaky. I had been wanting to try making a multi-layer dough that puffed up when cooked for a while. As coincidence would have it I had also recently bookmarked a cheese danish recipe that I had wanted to try.
One thing that I really liked about this challenge was that we were allowed to choose the filling. Since strawberries were in the peak of their season I could not pass up on the chance to use some fresh strawberries. I had just made some strawberry and rhubarb jam and I though that it would go well in the braid as well. Since I still had the cheese danish on my mind I also decided to add some cream cheese. In the end it turned out to be a strawberry Danish braid with cream cheese and strawberry and rhubarb jam.

Strawberry Danish Braid
As with most Daring Bakers challenges the Danish braid was no walk in the park. There are a lot of steps and it took a lot of time. I was hoping to get the whole thing done on one day of the weekend but I ran out of time and had to finish it the next day. Overall each step was pretty easy though. The only problem that I had with the recipe was that it said that while folding the dough that you roll it out to a particular size each time but then after letting it sit in the fridge over night you were supposed to be able to roll out the same dough to over double the size that you were rolling it to the day before. My dough rolled out to the same size as it did the day before and I rolled it a bit thinned so that I could have some extra to make some cheese danish. Maybe the yeast was supposed to have more than doubled the size of the dough while it was in the fridge? Maybe my yeast was not as active as it could be? The dough did expand while proofing before baking… The Danish braid baked up well, though I could have pulled it out of the oven a minute sooner.
In the end I was really pleased with both the Danish braid and the cheese Danish! They were both really good! The Danish pastry was nice and light and flaky and buttery and good. In the pictures you can see the layers and that it puffed up nicely. The pastry itself was full of flavour from the vanilla and the cardamom. The cream cheese and strawberry and rhubarb jam and fresh strawberry filling was perfect. I enjoyed both the Danish braid and the cheese Danish for breakfast last week and they both disappeared quite quickly! I am really glad that I got to make the Danish pastry and I look forward to making it again.

Cheese Danish

Danish Braid

Strawberry Danish Braid

Strawberry Danish Braid

Prep Time: 2 hours 25 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes Servings: 12
ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 orange (zest)
  • 3/4 teaspoon cardamom (ground)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 vanilla bean (split and scraped)
  • 2 eggs (chilled)
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg (lightly beaten)
directions
  1. Whisk the yeast into the milk in a bowl.
  2. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix.
  3. Sift the flour and salt onto your working surface and form a bowl.
  4. Pour the liquid into the middle of the bowl.
  5. With your hands, mix the flour into the liquid starting from the inside and working out until combined.
  6. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, about 5-7 minutes.
  7. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  8. Pulse the butter and flour in a food processor until combined.
  9. Let the butter sit at room temperature until the dough is ready.
  10. Roll the dough out to about 18×13 inches and about 1/4 inch thick.
  11. Spread the butter over the right and center thirds of the dough.
  12. Fold the left third of the dough over the center followed by the right third and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  13. Place the dough on the work surface lengthwise with the open ends on your left and right.
  14. Roll the dough out to about 18×13 inches and about 1/4 inch thick.
  15. Repeat steps 12-13 until for a total of five times.
  16. Chill in the fridge overnight or for a minimum of five hours.
  17. Roll the dough out to about 18×13 inches and about 1/4 inch thick.
  18. Slice the left and right thirds of the dough at an angle and parallel to the other side into 1 inch wide slices.
  19. Spread the filling on the middle of the dough.
  20. Fold the slices of dough from the left and right sides of the middle, alternating and forming a braid.
  21. Fold the top and bottom flaps over to hold in the filling.
  22. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
  23. Brush the egg onto the top of the dough.
  24. Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
Similar Recipes:
Strawberry Tart
Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)

Take a look at the other Daring Bakers danish braid creations.

Dessert, Food, Recipe, Strawberry, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Steph says

    June 29, 2008 at 10:54 am

    omg kevin!! that looks so good. I love how the danishes are nicely browned. The filling combination of strawberry + cream cheese is also really nice.. sweet and rich!

    Reply
  2. [email protected] says

    June 29, 2008 at 11:27 am

    oooooo looks fantastic, can almost taste the sweet strawberries and the creamy cream cheese!!!

    Reply
  3. Ann says

    June 29, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    Your braid and pastries look just delicious!

    Reply
  4. Judy @ No Fear Entertaining says

    June 29, 2008 at 12:24 pm

    Great looking braid Kevin!!!

    Reply
  5. Pearlsofeast says

    June 29, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    Looks heavenly Kevin and the filling makes me drool worthy.Great work.

    Reply
  6. Gretchen Noelle says

    June 29, 2008 at 12:50 pm

    I certainly pondered the idea of cream cheese and strawberry jam. Sounds and looks terrific!

    Reply
  7. VeggieGirl says

    June 29, 2008 at 12:57 pm

    Kevin, your danish bread is fantastic-looking – love your choice of filling!

    Reply
  8. Jen Yu says

    June 29, 2008 at 1:32 pm

    Kevin, your repertoire continues to expand with more and more successes! The braid is just lovely – all of those fresh strawberries… mmmmm! I like that little cheese danish too, so CUTE!

    Reply
  9. noble pig says

    June 29, 2008 at 1:36 pm

    So far this strawberry one is my fave.

    Reply
  10. Megan says

    June 29, 2008 at 2:55 pm

    Kevin, They look amazing! Your food always looks perfect. Will you marry me? 😉

    Reply
  11. Sara says

    June 29, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    Yum, looks amazing! The strawberry filling looks delish. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Manggy says

    June 29, 2008 at 3:08 pm

    Kevin, I don’t think the proofing is an issue– the braid looks quite perfect as it is. Don’t worry about it 😉 You are on a strawberry high, I love it 🙂 I don’t think I could ever make a laminated dough in this weather, though.

    Reply
  13. Meghan says

    June 29, 2008 at 3:38 pm

    this is GORGEOUS Kevin!

    Reply
  14. Meeta says

    June 29, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    Yes, I liked the fact that we could fill it with whatever we wanted to. I love the strawberry filling – looks great Kevin!

    Reply
  15. Robyn says

    June 29, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    Looks great!

    Reply
  16. Maya says

    June 29, 2008 at 4:54 pm

    Kevin:

    That looks like it come from a lovely bakery!! You ARE a bag of chips and more!!!!!

    Reply
  17. chriesi says

    June 29, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Looks beautiful!

    Reply
  18. Gloria says

    June 29, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    Oh My Kevin!!! Really look wonderful!!!! really beauty dear.xxGloria (you always amazing me)

    Reply
  19. HoneyB says

    June 29, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    Despite your troubles with rolling the dough – it looks terrific!

    Reply
  20. farida says

    June 29, 2008 at 7:02 pm

    Kevin, what a great job you have done with your danish! Wow, wow! Looks absolutely amazing! When are you going to stop amaze me?:) I hope never:)

    Reply
  21. javagirlkt's cookin' says

    June 29, 2008 at 7:08 pm

    Wow! Yours looks much better than mine! Mine was impossible to roll out, I think it was too dry, or I kneaded it too long.

    I bet the strawberries and cream cheese were delicious in yours. Nice job! 🙂

    Reply
  22. Vicarious Foodie says

    June 29, 2008 at 7:29 pm

    Oh my gosh–was that as hard as it looks? I mean, it looks amazing but very fancy, which usually translates to very difficult. You must have the baking gene. 😉

    Reply
  23. Shayne says

    June 29, 2008 at 7:31 pm

    ok now see if we were making the danish together we would have had the perfect doneness. the filling looks and sounds wonderful.

    I loved this DB challenge so much for the same reasons you did.

    Well Done.

    Reply
  24. Em says

    June 29, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    kevin that’s freakin GORGEOUS! Outstanding job and as always I enjoy just *reading* anything you write 🙂

    have a delicious day!

    Reply
  25. Lisa says

    June 29, 2008 at 8:35 pm

    Yet another fantastic use of strawberries. Lovely pictures.

    Reply
  26. Susie Homemaker says

    June 29, 2008 at 8:45 pm

    Sweet Jesus that looks great! The pictures are fantastic, and now my mouth is watering….

    Reply
  27. Proud Italian Cook says

    June 29, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    I’m lovin that cheese danish! You did a great job Kevin!

    Reply
  28. sunita says

    June 29, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    I love your braid…and the filling too 🙂

    Reply
  29. OhioMom says

    June 29, 2008 at 10:01 pm

    That is absolutely gorgeous, and what everyone else said 🙂 I think you took it out at exactly the right moment … btw, I have added a link to your blog so I can keep up with your wonderful culinary creations.

    Reply
  30. Jeena says

    June 29, 2008 at 10:14 pm

    I love the pictures Kevin you are such a great cook! It looks fabulous.

    Reply
  31. Jenny says

    June 29, 2008 at 10:29 pm

    Looks perfect Kevin!

    Reply
  32. Clumbsy Cookie says

    June 29, 2008 at 10:47 pm

    Kevin I love your dough! The braid is great but that cheese danish, it’s just amazing with the icing coming down the sides, wow!

    Reply
  33. Leslie says

    June 29, 2008 at 11:15 pm

    Beautiful and delicious..I wouldnt expect to see anything less when I visit your blog!!!!Bravo!

    Reply
  34. kat says

    June 29, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    Oh they look so good! I thought cream cheese was the yummiest in it.

    Reply
  35. Anne says

    June 29, 2008 at 11:34 pm

    Oh, goodness! I actually gasped when your page loaded–your braid is GORGEOUS! Terriffic job!

    Reply
  36. Cookie baker Lynn says

    June 29, 2008 at 11:46 pm

    Beautiful braid, Kevin! I love the filling flavors you picked. How can you go wrong with cream cheese, strawberries, and rhubarb?

    Reply
  37. Lori says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:01 am

    wow Kevin, the filling sounds amazing. And that last pic of the danish. Wow it looks like a work of art. Oh to sink my teeth into that!

    Reply
  38. Marc @ NoRecipes says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:04 am

    Looks great Kevin! I chose strawberries for the same reason!

    Reply
  39. kimberleyblue says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:11 am

    Your danish looks really good – and fresh strawberries? Yum!

    Reply
  40. Anonymous says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:33 am

    Beautiful as always Kevin! And the filling is fantastic! I am going to have to redo this recipe using your filling ideas before strawberries completely go out of season!

    Reply
  41. Parker says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:40 am

    Those are such great pics Kevin. The danish recipe itself looks amazing – seriously. Have a great Canada Day.

    Reply
  42. Melanie C. says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:44 am

    Your braid and pastries look fantastic! Great job!!

    Reply
  43. Esi says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:56 am

    This looks fantastic! I love your recipes.

    Reply
  44. TBC says

    June 30, 2008 at 1:09 am

    I love your filling!
    I saw so many of the DB posts today… don’t know how u guys do it! Nice work.

    Reply
  45. Ben says

    June 30, 2008 at 1:14 am

    Hmmm strawberries and creamcheese! That is an amazing combination and your braid looks incredible 🙂

    Thank you for baking with us 🙂

    Reply
  46. Chris says

    June 30, 2008 at 1:22 am

    Holy moly….what a danish! So flaky looking and delicious with those strawberries. 🙂

    Reply
  47. Erika says

    June 30, 2008 at 1:55 am

    Nice work! I think the braids look great and I thought about adding cream cheese to my strawberry rhubarb but I did not have any. After looking at yours, I might have to make this again soon!

    Reply
  48. Mrs Ergül says

    June 30, 2008 at 2:10 am

    It’s so smart to use what you already have on hand! Nice!

    Reply
  49. maybelles parents says

    June 30, 2008 at 2:29 am

    it looks totally perfect. good job.

    Reply
  50. onespicymama says

    June 30, 2008 at 2:45 am

    I love strawberry rhubarb anything! That last picture made me lick the screen!:)

    Reply
  51. Prudy says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:37 am

    Wow-looks gorgeous. I did strawberry and cream cheese too so I know it’s yummy.

    Reply
  52. Jaime says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:40 am

    love the strawberry rhubarb cream cheese filling you chose! yum! looks like it puffed up nicely, well cone!

    Reply
  53. cindy* says

    June 30, 2008 at 4:53 am

    this looks so pro! very ambitious…as daring bakers suggests. good job to you.

    Reply
  54. eliza says

    June 30, 2008 at 5:21 am

    just wonderful. you’re good with baked goods too obviously! 🙂

    Reply
  55. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    June 30, 2008 at 6:04 am

    Really beautiful, tempting and delicious looking! I love the filling you used! Great job here!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  56. Rose&Thorn says

    June 30, 2008 at 10:51 am

    The cheese one has me drooling!

    Reply
  57. Tarah says

    June 30, 2008 at 11:41 am

    Awesome Job! Your braid came out beautifully! Great job :]

    Reply
  58. noobcook says

    June 30, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    omg this sounds really tough to make but you pull it off nicely. Looks sooo heavenly!

    Reply
  59. StickyGooeyCreamyChewy says

    June 30, 2008 at 1:25 pm

    Beautiful danish, Kevin! They look totally droolworthy! Great job!

    I couldn’t resist cheese danish either. 😉

    Reply
  60. Anonymous says

    June 30, 2008 at 2:21 pm

    Looks great Kevin!

    Reply
  61. Lorrie says

    June 30, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    your braid and pastries look amazing, your did a great job!

    Reply
  62. Helen says

    June 30, 2008 at 2:55 pm

    I think your braid looks really beautiful. I didn’t get to make mine this month which I am gutted about but at least I can drool over everyone elses!

    Reply
  63. Deborah says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:16 pm

    I love the strawberry combo you chose. Yum!! I thought the baking times were off, too – I took mine out at 20 minutes!

    Reply
  64. Katie says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:19 pm

    This looks so perfect. The color and the glaze looks fantastic.

    Reply
  65. Cheryl says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:23 pm

    I have seen those all over the place and I think yours is the best looking one! gorgeous!

    Reply
  66. JennDZ - The Leftover Queen says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    Both danish varieties you made look great Kevin!

    Reply
  67. JMom says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:44 pm

    Great looking braid! I wish I had been more adventurous with the filling. That strawberry filling looks delicious!

    Reply
  68. marye says

    June 30, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    I did strawberry cream cheese as well..wasn’t it fantastic?
    Beautiful images, as usual Kevin!

    Reply
  69. Pam says

    June 30, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    They looks so good. Thanks for inspiring me to join the Daring Bakers… I did my first challenge this month and had a blast!

    Reply
  70. Sandie says

    June 30, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    Bravo! That’s a lot of work, but your efforts certainly appear to have paid off. Ship this to me? …lol

    Reply
  71. breadchick says

    June 30, 2008 at 6:38 pm

    Very well done!

    Reply
  72. Dawn says

    June 30, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    I love how you kept extra sauce for the individual slice. Good thinking! The braiding is so fancy. I would not do well making this.

    Reply
  73. Steph says

    June 30, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    Looks great Kevin! The strawberry filling sounds amazing!

    Reply
  74. Dolores says

    June 30, 2008 at 7:49 pm

    I had similar problems rolling the dough on day two… the required size just wasn’t going to happen unless I rolled it nearly paper thin.

    Yours looks great; your cheese danish had me yearning to lick the screen.

    Reply
  75. Katie B. says

    June 30, 2008 at 7:56 pm

    Looks phenomenal!! I daydreamed about using strawberries, but they’ve passed their time at my market.

    Reply
  76. Pam says

    June 30, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    The strawberry one looks great, but I cannot get that cheese danish out of my mind!

    Reply
  77. Mona says

    June 30, 2008 at 10:02 pm

    That looks scrumptious!

    http://www.zaiqa.net

    Reply
  78. Namratha says

    June 30, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    Gosh, that’s a perfect braid!

    Reply
  79. Michelle says

    July 1, 2008 at 2:12 am

    wow!! this is a perfect braid. It looks almost too good to eat, but I wouldn’t pass it up

    Reply
  80. Gigi says

    July 1, 2008 at 2:40 am

    Kevin you did a fantastic job on the braid and the filling sounds divine!

    Reply
  81. Donna says

    July 1, 2008 at 4:19 am

    What a challenege! Well done. I wanted to mix mango with starberries but I didn’t think it would make a good combo. So for my 2nd braid, I made it with chopped mangos mixed with some little sugar. It turned out fantastic with vanilla bean sugar free ice cream!

    Reply
  82. Elle says

    July 1, 2008 at 4:44 am

    Gorgeous braid, Kevin–it looks perfect!

    Reply
  83. Aparna says

    July 1, 2008 at 10:25 am

    That is a most beautifully made braid. I used the suggested apple filling but used mango and coconut in my little ones.

    Reply
  84. Sara says

    July 1, 2008 at 4:42 pm

    Your filling sounds amazing!

    Reply
  85. Helene says

    July 1, 2008 at 5:22 pm

    Wow, you’re doing better and better everytime. I really like your danish braid. I’ll have to try to make one some day.

    Reply
  86. Claire says

    July 1, 2008 at 8:30 pm

    I’m with you on it being done before time was up. Your bread looks fantastic!

    Reply
  87. Bobby says

    July 2, 2008 at 12:38 am

    this looks great! Very interesting – I have never tried anything like this but it looks like a challenge. It came out so good though.

    Reply
  88. Faery says

    July 2, 2008 at 1:30 am

    Wow it looks delicious and beautiful

    Reply
  89. Melanie says

    July 2, 2008 at 3:31 am

    Yours is the first strawberry rhubarb one I’ve seen. I knew it would look beautiful and it does!

    Reply
  90. Anonymous says

    July 2, 2008 at 3:35 am

    That looks divine!!!! Fantastic job, doesn’t look as if it were to terrible a challenge at all!!!

    Reply
  91. ~Amber~ says

    July 2, 2008 at 2:10 pm

    Your braid is amazingly beautiful! Great job.

    Reply
  92. eatme_delicious says

    July 2, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    Strawberry cream cheese sounds delicious! Looks beautiful, as always.

    Reply
  93. Miss Ifi says

    July 3, 2008 at 1:57 am

    I should steal some of that delicious looking strawberry rhubarb jam from you!!.. Your braids look amazing.. CONGRATULATIONS on your challenge!!

    Reply
  94. Jeanine says

    July 11, 2008 at 8:49 pm

    OH wow, that danish braid looks amazing! LOVE the strawberry/cream cheese filling…makes me want to make it again!

    Reply
  95. Tartelette says

    July 17, 2008 at 4:24 am

    Fabulous job Kevin! That last danish is just screaming to be eaten!

    Reply
  96. Anonymous says

    March 12, 2010 at 3:18 am

    How did you braid cheese danish(cream cheese in the middle)?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  97. Kevin says

    March 13, 2010 at 2:30 am

    Anonymous: I was just winging it and only a couple of them actually turned out. I need much more practice braiding pastry. 🙂

    Reply

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