Sourdough danishes have buttery laminated layers with a crispy exterior and airy, chewy bite that has a touch of sourness. They are filled with delicate Orange Blossom Cream filling. These were Re-grammed by Food52 last night so I’ve gotten over a hundred recipe requests! I am excited to share these sourdough danishes with orange blossom cream with all of you.
The sourdough craze is real and blazing right now! I may be the last baker on Instagram who has not baked sourdough bread! I’m just more of a pastry gal! I did show the girls how to make sourdough starter. And then we used it for these sourdough danishes. What I love about adding sourdough starter to pastry is that the tang of the sourdough blends with the richness of the butter for a unique and mesmerizing taste.
The girls and I had danish 101 for a pastry homeschooling session. The photo from my Instagram had 3 different fillings. I’m sharing the orange blossom cream with the danish dough recipe. But feel free to contact me for the pistachio frangipane with cherries from my French Napoleons or the simple cream cheese filling.
Danish Dough
You will need prep time for these sourdough danishes. This is not a recipe you can do in a day. First, you need to make a sourdough starter. I used the recipe from The Perfect Loaf. Then you create a levain that has to sit for 12 hours before you begin the danish dough. The danish dough takes a couple of days before it’s ready to bake.
Danish dough is much like a cross between croissants and brioche. It has crispness while holding a chewy, tender center. It’s enriched with egg and has loads of butter, yay! I use dry butter since it has a higher melting point and more butterfat. Additionally, dry butter yields a melt-in-your mouth pastry and even more flavor.
The lamination process will include a butter block and stages of folding, rolling, and resting. This creates tender layers that are so buttery and flaky.
The addition of levain into the final stage of mixing the dough adds such awesome flavor depth. Making sourdough danishes is also a fun way to change up the sourdough obsession!
Thank you all who messaged me about these Danishes with Orange Blossom Cream! I hope you enjoy making them. Please share this recipe with all the pastry lovers in your life and social media. And follow me on Instagram for more free recipes, IGTV demos, and fun!
Sourdough Danishes With Orange Blossom Cream
Sourdough danishes have buttery laminated layers with a crispy exterior and airy, chewy bite that has a touch of sourness. They are filled with delicate Orange Blossom Cream filling.
Ingredients
Levain
- 45 grams sourdough starter 100%
- 65 grams water
- 130 grams bread flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Danish Dough
- 325 grams bread flour
- 130 grams whole milk
- 45 grams sugar
- 1 large egg
- 20 grams butter softened
- 1 ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 7 grams instant yeast
- all levain
- 220 grams butter for block
- 1 large egg for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
Orange Blossom Cream
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Starter Sponge
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Make the starter the day before you start the Danish Dough. Mix it all together and knead with your hands into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to ferment for 12 hours. It will get bubbly.
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The next day, set up the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the bread flour, milk, egg, sugar, yeast, and salt. Knead on medium low speed for 5 minutes.
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Then add the softened butter and knead an additional couple of minutes, until incorporated.
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Then add the levain. Knead on medium low speed for 5 minutes.
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Then take dough and gently flatten it into a square. Then wrap in plastic and chill overnight.
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Prepare butter block by setting the butter on lightly floured parchment. Cover with second piece. Use a rolling pin to tap the butter into an 8 inch square. Chill for 5 minutes.
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Take out chilled dough. Roll it into a 12 inch square.
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Place the butter block in the middle. Fold dough to enclose the butter.
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Then starting from the middle of the square, roll it out into a rectangle – 18 x 8 inches.
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Make the first fold. Bring the bottom end to the middle. Then repeat with the top end, bringing it to the middle.
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Very gently, tap the seam to seal and then roll out to a rectangle. Fold it then chill for 30 minutes.
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Then sprinkle your counter lightly with flour and repeat the process twice. Chill another 30 minutes.
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Then repeat the process once again. Then fold the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill overnight.
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The next day, gently flour your counter. Then gently roll dough to 18 x 8 inch rectangle.
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Use a pizza cutter to accurately cut the dough into equal squares. Cut down the middle and then cut into 5 squares on each side.
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Shape the danishes as you wish and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave space in between for them to double in size.
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Fill with orange blossom cream, using 1 tablespoon for each danish center. Then allow to rise until doubled in size. Note that you can gently spray with water before covering with plastic wrap to keep them from drying. They take a few hours to rise.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Then brush with egg wash.
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Bake danishes for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 375 and continue baking for 10-15 minutes longer.
Orange Blossom Cream
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In a small saucepan set over medium to medium low heat, put 3/4 cup of milk, sugar, and a tiny pinch of salt.
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Then in a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with cornstarch and remaining milk.
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Once milk heats, temper into the eggs by pouring a steady, pencil thin stream into eggs while whisking. Pour whole mixture back into saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, and it thickens in 10 minutes.
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Then remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Follow with orange blossom water and vanilla extract. Press plastic wrap against the cream to prevent a film from forming. Chill in fridge until ready to use.