I guess I went a little overboard when I wanted to refine my baking prowess this weekend. I was flipping through some cookbooks and thought I might try my hand at Danish. Who doesn’t love danishes? But what should I use as filling? I had some key lime juice that was going to expire in the near future so I decided to make key lime curd. Key Lime curd is a little too tart on it’s own so I wanted to add something sweet…that’s when I thought of my favorite type of danish…cream cheese. So I also made a cheese filling complement the key lime.

Key Lime Cream Cheese Danish Braid

Danish Dough (makes 2-1/2 pounds dough)

For the dough (detrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lime, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup limeade
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) Butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Dough
Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, cardamom, vanilla extract, and limeade and mix well.

Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges.

When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

Butter Block
Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Key Lime Curd
6 tablespoons butter
6 egg yolks (or 3 eggs)
2/3 cup key lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoons key lime zest

Over low heat, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk continuously for about 8-10 minutes or until it forms a custard. Allow to cool then pour into a jar and refrigerate. The curd will thicken considerably as it cools.

Cream Cheese Filing

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon key lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Soften Cream Cheese, then combine with the other ingredients

Assembly of the Braid
Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients
1 recipe Danish Dough (see above)
1 cup key lime curd
1 cup cream cheese filling

For the egg wash: 1 large egg

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3. Spread the cream cheese filling on the sides to form a wall (the key lime curd can be a little runny. Then spoon the key lime curd through the middle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash
Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking
1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

It was really delicious! There was a lot of patience and time involved in making this (something I’m not good at). Danish is something I don’t eat too often, so this was a really tasty treat, but because of the time I’m not sure if I will attempt this again.

What’s your favorite breakfast “treat”?