Marmalade Danish Pastries Recipe

Buttery pastry and a dollop of sticky and sweet apricot jam, these delicious Danish Pastries are patisserie favourites.

Makes: 18

Ingredients:

250g plain flour
250g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
7g sachet fast-action yeast
2 tsp salt
50g golden caster sugar
1 beaten large egg plus extra to glaze
150ml milk (whole or semi skimmed)
250g lightly salted butter, cut into 8 slices. This should be slightly warmer than fridge temperature, but not soft.
150g  ready-made custard
2 x 320g tins of peeled apricot halves
a few tsps of Duerr’s marmalade

Method:

1. In a processor, pulse together the dry ingredients, add the milk and egg and pulse to a smooth and sticky consistency.
2. Knead this dough for 1 min, using a little flour, until just smooth.
3. Put into a pre-oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr until doubled in size or overnight in the fridge.
4. Flour your surface and pat the dough out to a 1cm thick rectangle. Lay the butter slices out over the middle of the dough, in a rectangle. Fold the pastry over the top, bottom and sides until it is completely hidden. Press the edges down.
5. Roll the dough out to a 50 x 30cm rectangle. Tap out the dough with the rolling pin in gentle ridges, to squash the butter evenly inside the pastry. Then roll properly.
6. Turn the dough 90 degrees, then fold the right third over and the left third over that. Do this three times, chilling for 15 mins after each roll.
7. Cut the dough in half, into 2 squares. Roll one piece of dough to 35 x 35cm.
8. Cut into 9 squares, and put 2 tsp custard in the middle, sit two apricot halves on top, dot with marmalade, then pull 2 corners over and pinch to seal.
9. Let the pastries rise for 30 mins until puffed and doubled in size.
10. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush with beaten egg, pinch any edges together again, then bake for about 20 mins until golden and risen.