Prune Danish Recipe
Buttery, flaky pastry spirals filled with sweet, tender prunes and a hint of citrus, creating a perfect balance of richness and fruity sweetness.
Ingredients
<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">350g strong bread flour</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">7g fast-action dried yeast</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">50g caster sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">5g salt</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">150ml cold milk</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 large egg, beaten</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">250g cold unsalted butter, for laminating</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 orange, zested</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">250g prunes, pitted</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">75g light brown sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp ground cinnamon</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp fresh orange juice</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">100g icing sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp water</li></ul>
Equipment
<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">Stand mixer with dough hook</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Rolling pin</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Ruler</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Pastry brush</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Baking trays</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Food processor</li></ul>
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Directions
<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Begin by making the dough. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the bread flour, yeast, caster sugar, and salt. Keep the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl as salt can inhibit yeast activity. Mix briefly using the dough hook attachment.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>Add the cold milk and beaten egg to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until a rough dough forms, then increase to medium speed and knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not sticky – add a little more flour if needed.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Shape the dough into a rectangle about 2cm thick, wrap it tightly in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This initial chilling firms up the dough, making it easier to laminate with butter later.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>While the dough chills, prepare your prune filling. Place the pitted prunes, light brown sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, and orange juice in a food processor. Pulse until you have a thick, slightly chunky paste. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>For the lamination process, take your cold butter and place it between two sheets of baking parchment. Using a rolling pin, beat and roll it into a rectangle about 20cm x 15cm. The butter should be pliable but still cold. If it becomes too soft, return it to the refrigerator briefly.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Roll out your chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 40cm x 20cm. Position the butter block in the center of the dough, so that it covers the middle third. Fold the left side of the dough over the butter, then fold the right side over (like folding a letter). Pinch the edges to seal in the butter completely.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>Turn the dough 90 degrees so the open ends are facing you. Roll it out again to a rectangle about 45cm x 20cm, being careful not to expose the butter. Fold the dough in thirds again (letter fold). This completes your first turn. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The cooling periods are crucial as they allow the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Repeat Step 7 two more times, making sure to chill the dough for 30 minutes between each turn. After the third turn, wrap the dough well and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. This extended rest develops flavor and makes the final rolling easier.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to a rectangle about 40cm x 30cm. Aim for a thickness of about 3-4mm. Trim the edges with a sharp knife to create neat sides, which helps the pastries rise evenly.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>Spread the prune filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 1cm border along one of the long edges. Starting from the opposite long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log, finishing with the clean border edge underneath to seal the roll.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 11</h4>Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 equal pieces, each about 3-4cm thick. Place each Danish on parchment-lined baking trays, leaving plenty of space between them for rising. Gently press down on each Danish to slightly flatten.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 12</h4>Cover the Danishes loosely with oiled cling film and let them prove in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until nearly doubled in size. They should look puffy and when gently pressed with a finger, the indentation should slowly spring back.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 13</h4>Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Carefully brush the Danishes with egg wash, making sure not to deflate them. Bake for 18-20 minutes until deeply golden brown. The high butter content means they'll brown quickly, so check after 15 minutes – if they're coloring too fast, cover loosely with foil.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 14</h4>Allow the Danishes to cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. While still warm (but not hot), mix the icing sugar with enough water to create a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle this over the pastries in a zigzag pattern.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 15</h4>These Prune Danishes are best enjoyed the day they're made, when the pastry is at its crispest. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container for up to 2 days and refresh in a 160°C oven for 5 minutes before serving. You can also freeze the unbaked, shaped pastries and bake from frozen (adding a few extra minutes to the baking time).</li></ol>
Chef’s Notes
A few helpful details for making this recipe.
Why do Danish pastries need to rest between folding stages?
Resting Danish pastry dough between folds is crucial for proper lamination. These cooling periods allow the gluten to relax, preventing shrinkage, and firm up the butter layers. Without adequate resting, the butter could leak out during baking, resulting in dense, greasy pastries rather than light, flaky ones.
Can I use dried prunes or do I need fresh ones for Danish pastries?
Dried prunes are actually ideal for Danish pastry filling as they provide concentrated flavour and the right texture. Fresh plums would release too much moisture during baking. When processing dried prunes with sugar, cinnamon and orange, they create a thick, flavourful paste that won't make your pastry soggy.
What's the secret to achieving flaky layers in Danish pastry?
The secret to flaky Danish pastry is proper butter lamination—creating distinct layers of butter between dough through repeated folding and rolling. Keep ingredients cold throughout the process, maintain clean folds, allow adequate resting time between turns, and roll with even pressure to ensure the butter remains in separate layers.
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