Danish Toffee Recipes

BEST TOFFEE EVER - SUPER EASY

Steps:

• In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally.
• While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften. Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer once it is melted. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.
• Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

DANISH PASTRIES

Steps:

• Pulse together the dry ingredients plus 2 tsp salt in a processor, then pulse in the milk and egg, plus 100ml water, until you have a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 1 min, using a little flour, until just smooth. Put into an oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr until doubled in size (overnight in the fridge if you like).
• Flour your surface, then pat the dough out to a rectangle, 1cm thick. Lay the butter slices out over the middle of the dough, in a rectangle. Fold the pastry over the top, bottom and then sides until the butter is completely hidden. Press the edges down.
• Roll the dough out to a 50 x 30cm rectangle, first tapping out the dough with the rolling pin in gentle ridges, so that you can tell the butter is being squashed out evenly inside the pastry, before rolling properly. Turn 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.
• Cut the dough in half, into 2 squares. Roll one piece of dough to 35 x 35cm. Cut into 9 squares, then follow the instructions below for each filling and shape. If you want to make more than one shape, it's easy to divide the filling quantity. Don't worry if your squares rise as you work, just roll them out a bit again.
• To make 18 pecan pinwheels, whizz 85g pecans until fine, then stir in 50g light muscovado, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 25g softened butter. Cut each square of pastry almost to the middle from each corner, spoon on 1 tsp filling, then fold each point over and press into the middle. Scatter more chopped pecans and a little sugar over before baking. Drizzle with a little maple syrup to serve.
• For 18 apricot custard turnovers, you will need 150g tub custard, 2 x 320g cans apricots and a few tsps apricot jam. Put 2 tsp custard in the middle, sit two apricot halves on top, dot with jam, then pull 2 corners over and pinch to seal.
• To make 18 raisin swirls, mix 50g raisins, 25g caster sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice and 50g soft butter. Instead of cutting the dough into 9, leave it whole and spread the filling over. Roll up, slice into 9 rounds, then squash each one. Blend 50g icing sugar and a few drops of water to drizzle over once baked.
• Once shaped and filled, let the pastries rise for 30 mins until puffed and doubled in size. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush with beaten egg, make sure you pinch any edges together again, then bake for about 20 mins until golden and risen.

DANISH CARAMEL POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Line 9-inch square metal pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. In 4-quart saucepan, heat 2 quarts water to boiling over high heat. Add potatoes; reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with paring knife. Drain; transfer to cutting board to cool. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel potatoes by hand; discard peels.
• In large bowl, mix melted butter, sugar and salt. Add potatoes; toss to coat. Place in pan in single layer. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is bubbling and caramelized. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

DANISH COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Place 1 cup flour in a large bowl, cut 1/2 cup butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water; toss with a fork until mixture forms a ball. Divide into thirds. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a 9-in. x 6-in. rectangle. Place on greased baking sheets; set aside. , In a saucepan, bring salt and remaining butter and water to a boil. Add remaining flour all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. , Spread over the dough. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks., For icing, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough water to achieve desired consistency. Spread over warm coffee cakes. Sprinkle with walnuts. Store in the refrigerator.

DANISH COFFEE CAKES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Add the yeast mixture, milk and eggs; beat until smooth (dough will be soft). Do not knead. Cover and refrigerate overnight., For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add egg, poppy seeds and extracts; mix until blended., Punch dough down. Turn onto a well-floured surface; divide into thirds. Return two portions to the refrigerator. Roll remaining portion into a 14x8-in. rectangle; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread a third of the filling down center of rectangle., On each long side, cut 3/4-in.-wide strips, about 2-1/4 in. into the center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Pinch ends to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. , Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans on wire racks. Combine icing ingredients; drizzle over coffee cakes.

SKILLET TOFFEE

Steps:

• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.
• Stir in sugar until mixture is smooth, and keep stirring and cooking for about 10 minutes.
• Add the unblanched almonds to the sugar/butter mixture, and continue stirring and cooking for 10 more minutes.
• Pour candy mixture into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch pan.
• Melt chocolate in top of double broiler (Or you can melt using a microwave).
• Spread the melted chocolate evenly over toffee.
• Before the chocolate hardens, sprinkle with chopped almonds.
• Break into pieces when hardened.

DANISH TOFFEE

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, coffee, and rum.
• Add flour mixture and almonds.
• Chill mixture at least one hour, roll out 1/8 inch thick and cut.
• Bake in ungreased pan at 375 for 12 minutes.

CREAM CHEESE DANISH COFFEECAKE

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Combine 1 cup milk and butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat; heat until very warm (120 to 130 degrees F (40 to 54 degrees C)), about 5 minutes.
• Beat milk-butter mixture gradually into flour mixture on low speed. Increase speed to medium; beat for 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl with a spatula. Beat in 1 cup flour and egg, occasionally scraping the bowl. Switch to the dough hook attachment; mix in remaining 2 cups flour until a soft dough forms.
• Turn dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to a greased bowl. Turn over to coat top with grease. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and turn out on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Place each piece in a separate bowl. Cover and refrigerate, 2 hours to overnight.
• Combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, 1 egg, and lemon juice in the clean bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until evenly blended. Increase speed to medium; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Grease 2 baking sheets. Roll 1 piece of dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Spread cream cheese filling in a 4-inch strip down the center of each rectangle. Cut dough on both sides of the filling into 1-inch-wide strips. Fold strips alternately over the filling to create a braid. Cover braided dough and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Brush tops of braids with 2 tablespoons milk.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.