It’s nearly Christmas Eve here in Australia, and I’m taking a break from baking and cleaning to wish you a very, very Happy Christmas. 🙂
You’re probably up to your ears in Christmas baking already, but if you have a hankering for something delicious but not too sweet for breakfast over the holidays, you might want to try this Danish pastry handed down from my Danish grandmother to my Mums to me. 🙂
Tender and moist laced with the scent and flavor of almonds, it is a splendid accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee on a lazy holiday morning.
And now I must be off! Almost time to decorate my Valencia Orange Christmas tree and try my hand at an English Christmas pudding. 🙂
Much love and a big Christmasy hug to you! xo
Danish Puff
from Joy Bjorn and Ruth Bjorn
Ingredients:
1 cup butter divided in half
2 cups flour divided in half
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cold water
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp almond flavoring
3 eggs (or 2 duck eggs)
1/2 cup sliced almond, toasted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut 1/2 cup butter into 1 cup flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add cold water and toss with fork until mixture holds together when pinched.
- Form dough into log, divide in half and press into each half onto an ungreased cookie sheet into a rectangle about 4 inches by 12 inches. (To avoid extra clean up, I cover cookie sheet with parchment paper first.) Place cookie sheets in freezer while you prepare next layer.
- Pour boiling water into small saucepan and add remaining 1/2 cup of butter. When butter melts, remove from heat and add almond flavoring.
- Stir in 1 cup of flour all at once. Beat smooth and let cool 5-10 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Remove cookie sheets from frezer and spread this mixture evely over the pastry strips.
- Bake for 15 minutes, lower heat to 400 F. and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully so it does not burn.
- Remove from oven and frost while still hot as directed below.
Frosting:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 Tbsp soft butter
3 Tbsp cream
1 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp salt
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients until smooth.
- Spoon frosting into plastic sandwich bag, scissor off one small corner to use for piping.
- Drizzle line of frosting back and forth over each pastry.
- Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve warm or at room temperature with hot coffee.
Oh my! This looks so delicious! I must give this a go!
I’ve made it twice this week because it’s so good, dear Baker Street! 🙂 I hope you love it too. 🙂
Drizzle drizzle yumyum!!!
What a contrast to our snow and meal of quishe for lunch, and, roast and yorkshire with garden veggies for supper on the eve of Christmas Eve! (with pumpkin pie)
We sure don’t have snow here, dear Susan, but we ARE doing roast and Yorkshire pudding and veggies for dinner tonight! Happy Christmas, dear friend!
Mmm interesting.. They look delicious.
Merry Christmas Krista from Bryan and me. See you in 2012. xoxo
A very Merry Christmas to you and Bryan, dear Barbara! Can’t wait to visit you again soon. 🙂
That looks amazing, Krista! I hope to try
Thank you, dear Deborah! 🙂 I think you will love it. 🙂 I AM enjoying the warm weather, thank you. 🙂 It’s nice to have the windows open and warm breezes blowing as I cook and bake. 🙂 Miss you!
I am sure I will enjoy making the pastry! 🙂 I don’t blame you for enjoying the warm weather! Miss you too! I hope to make it to Australia one of these days 🙂
Oh YUM! John’s mother is doing all the baking this year (we’re over in Perth at the moment), which lets me off the hook 😉
Oh how lovely to be spoiled and treated over the holidays. 🙂
Mmm there’s nothing like a good danish for breakfast and this looks perfect for Christmas! i’m absolutely enamored.
Happy holidays, love!
Thank you, dear Joanne! Happiest of Holidays to you too!! XO
A big Christmacy hig to you too Krista!! Have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends downunder!
Thank you, dear Val! Squeezing you tight. 🙂
This looks like a delicious treat, not only for breakfast. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you too, dear Alina! 🙂
It looks gorgeous. Merry Christmas Krista – I hope you enjoy the summer weather for Christmas.
Thank you so much, Cathy! I am LOVING the weather this summer. It’s not nearly as hot as I’d expected and it’s been beautiful. 🙂
Your Danish puff is gorgeous, Krista! I’m wishing you and yours every joy this Christmas. XO
P.S. I loved reading your first newsletter…your thoughts are truly inspiring, my friend. And I’m happy to find you on Pinterest too! 🙂
Thank you so much, dear Faith! 🙂 I love following your pins AND your blog! Can’t wait to see your cookbook. 🙂 xo
My aunt used to make this. I haven’t had one in ages, but I think I’ll surprise my mom with one tomorrow.
Oh, I hope she loves it, Deanna. 🙂 It’s such a homey, lovely thing. 🙂
Yummy. We grew up calling it Swedish Cringle.
Oh, that’s interesting, Tonya! There seem to be a lot of Scandinavian recipes that are similar throughout those countries. 🙂
Ooooh Krista, this looks fantastic! I might have to make it for brunch on New Years day as I’m planning to have a crowd here.
Enjoy your beautiful, sunny Christmas. Sending you merry wishes and hopes for a happy new year!
It will be perfect for a brunch, Katie! Not too sweet but just decadent enough. 🙂
merry christmas to you ! the pastry looks very tempting…
Merry Christmas to you, dear Shruti!! 🙂
I love the perspective in the photo making the pastry look gigantic, because that’s exactly the size of pastry I’d like to eat!
Believe it or not it IS that big, Ayngelina! 🙂 Almost the size of a cookie sheet. Yum! 🙂
Merry belated Christmas to you! The danish looks divine. You are right, it would be perfect with a morning cup of coffee.
Velva
And to you, dear Velva!! 🙂 This year it’s my goal to start making your delicious cocktails. 🙂
Gorgeous photos as always Krista 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful Christmas & a very Happy New Year to you!
Thank you, dear Tuula! Wishing you an absolutely wonderful year. 🙂 xo
yum! 🙂
i hope you are well, dear heart!
happy new year!
Hey – your first hot Aussie Christmas since your return! 🙂 How I miss those… LOVE this pastry – I can just imagine that that this would be an awesome way to start the day!