Golden Custard Danish Swirls

On May 3, 2025 22 0

Custard Danish Swirls, like the warm, flaky pastry pictured, are a true delight to prepare at home. Discover the satisfaction of pulling these golden beauties from the oven. This guide walks absolute beginners through the steps, detailing how to achieve the buttery layers and rich, creamy center seen in the image. It’s a rewarding baking project perfect for a special breakfast or afternoon treat.

Getting Started: What You’ll Need

Before embarking on this baking adventure, gather the necessary components. Precision is helpful in pastry work, so having everything ready makes the process smoother.

Halal Ingredients List

🧈 Unsalted Butter: Crucial for the flaky layers (lamination) and richness. Ensure it’s high-quality halal butter. You’ll need some cold for the dough layers and some softened for enrichment. (Approx. 250g cold block + 50g softened)
🥛 Whole Milk: Forms the base of the dough and the pastry cream. (Approx. 1 cup for dough + 1.5 cups for cream)
🍚 Granulated Sugar: For sweetness in the dough and pastry cream. (Approx. 1/4 cup for dough + 1/2 cup for cream + extra for glaze)
🥚 Eggs: Adds richness and structure. Use large halal eggs. (1 for dough + 3 yolks for cream)
🌾 All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the dough. (Approx. 3 cups, plus more for dusting)
🌽 Cornstarch: Thickens the pastry cream. (Approx. 1/4 cup)
🧂 Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavors. (Approx. 1 tsp for dough + pinch for cream)
🥄 Active Dry Yeast: Makes the dough rise. (Approx. 2 ¼ tsp or 1 standard packet)
🍦 Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract: Flavors the pastry cream. (Approx. 1 tsp)
💧 Water: For the simple glaze. (A few tablespoons)
🍋 Powdered Sugar: For the finishing glaze. (Approx. 1/2 cup)

Kitchen Equipment

🥣 Large Mixing Bowl: For combining dough ingredients.
🌪️ Stand Mixer (Optional): Helpful for kneading, but hands work too! Use the dough hook attachment.
📏 Rolling Pin: Essential for rolling out the dough and butter.
📐 Ruler or Measuring Tape: Helps achieve precise dimensions during lamination.
🔪 Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter: For cutting the dough strips.
🍳 Saucepan: For cooking the pastry cream.
Whisk:For lump-free pastry cream.
🌡️ Kitchen Scale (Recommended): For accurate ingredient measurement, especially flour and butter.
📜 Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier. As seen under the pastry in the image.
🍪 Baking Sheets: To bake the Danishes on.
🖌️ Pastry Brush: For applying egg wash (optional, for extra shine).
Plastic Wrap: For chilling the dough.

Preparing the Custard Danish Swirls

Making laminated dough (dough with many thin layers of butter) takes time, mostly for chilling, but the results are worth the effort.

Phase 1: Making the Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière)

This rich custard filling is the smooth, yellow center visible in the image. It needs to chill completely, so it’s best to prepare it first.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In the saucepan (off the heat), whisk together the granulated sugar (for the cream), cornstarch, and salt until thoroughly combined. This prevents lumps.
Temper the Yolks: In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly. Gradually whisk about half a cup of the milk into the yolks. This process, tempering, gently warms the yolks so they don’t scramble when added to the hot liquid.
Heat the Milk: Pour the remaining milk into the saucepan with the sugar mixture. Heat over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it just begins to simmer (small bubbles appear around the edge).
Combine and Cook: Slowly pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan while whisking constantly. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking continuously and vigorously, especially around the edges and bottom, until the mixture thickens considerably and comes to a boil. Let it boil for about 1 minute, still whisking, to fully cook the cornstarch. The consistency should be thick, like pudding.
Finish and Chill: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla extract. For extra smoothness, strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream (this prevents a skin from forming) and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight.

Phase 2: Assembling the Danish Dough

This dough, enriched with butter and egg, forms the golden, flaky structure seen in the photo.

Activate Yeast: Gently warm the milk (for the dough) to about 105-115°F (40-46°C) – lukewarm, not hot. Stir in the yeast and a pinch of the dough’s sugar. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast might be inactive, and new yeast is needed.
Combine Ingredients: In the large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl), combine the flour, the remaining dough sugar, and salt. Add the softened butter, the egg, and the foamy yeast mixture.
Mix and Knead: Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Then, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook on low-medium speed for about 5-7 minutes. If kneading by hand on a lightly floured surface, it will take about 10-12 minutes. The dough should feel soft but not overly sticky.
First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat lightly, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

Phase 3: Lamination – Building the Layers

This is where the magic happens, forming the distinct, flaky layers visible on the pastry’s edge. It involves folding cold butter into the dough.

Prepare the Butter Block: While the dough rises, place the block of cold butter (the 250g portion) between two sheets of parchment paper. Use the rolling pin to pound and roll the butter into a roughly 6×6 inch (15×15 cm) square. Keep it firm and cold. If it gets soft, pop it back in the fridge. The butter must remain cold to make distinct layers.
Roll Out Dough: After the first rise, gently punch down the dough to release the air. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about twice the size of the butter block, roughly 12×6 inches (30×15 cm).
Encase the Butter: Place the prepared butter square in the center of the dough rectangle. Fold the dough flaps over the butter like closing an envelope, ensuring the butter is completely sealed inside. Pinch the seams gently.
First Turn (Book Fold): Roll the dough package out into a long rectangle, about 18×8 inches (45×20 cm). Keep the surface lightly floured to prevent sticking. Aim for even thickness. Perform a book fold: Mentally divide the rectangle into quarters. Fold the two outer quarters towards the center line, then fold the entire thing in half along the center, like closing a book. You now have 4 layers of butter.
Chill: Wrap the folded dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes. Chilling relaxes the gluten and solidifies the butter, preventing it from squeezing out.
Second Turn: Unwrap the chilled dough and place it on the lightly floured surface with the ‘spine’ (folded edge) to your left. Roll it out again into a long rectangle (approx. 18×8 inches). Perform another book fold exactly as before.
Chill Again: Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for another 30-45 minutes. Some bakers perform a third turn, but two book folds yield excellent flakiness.

Phase 4: Shaping the Swirls

The image shows a distinct coiled or swirled shape.

Final Roll: After the last chill, unwrap the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a large rectangle, approximately 12×18 inches (30×45 cm) and about 1/4 inch (6mm) thick. Trim the edges neatly with a sharp knife for even layering.
Cut Strips: Cut the rectangle lengthwise into long strips, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.
Form the Swirls: Gently take one strip and twist it several times along its length. Then, coil the twisted strip into a spiral shape, tucking the end underneath or into the center. Place the formed swirl onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining strips, leaving space between pastries. The center should naturally form a slight well.
Proof: Loosely cover the shaped pastries with plastic wrap and let them proof (rise) in a warm place for about 30-60 minutes, until they look slightly puffy. Don’t let them over-proof, or they might lose their shape during baking.

Phase 5: Filling and Baking

Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Fill the Centers: Retrieve the chilled pastry cream. Give it a good stir to loosen it up. Gently press down the center of each proofed swirl to deepen the well slightly if needed. Spoon or pipe a generous amount of the cold pastry cream into the center of each Danish. The image shows a substantial filling.
Optional Egg Wash: For an extra golden and glossy finish like the pastry in the photo, whisk one egg with a tablespoon of water and lightly brush it over the exposed dough parts, avoiding the custard.
Bake: Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the pastries are deep golden brown, puffed, and the pastry cream is set. The exact time depends on the oven.
Cool: Let the Danishes cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool further.

Phase 6: The Finishing Touch – Glaze

The pastry is finished with a simple drizzle of white icing.

Mix Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and a small amount of water (start with 1 tablespoon and add more drop by drop) until a smooth, drizzly consistency is achieved.
Drizzle: Once the Danishes are mostly cool, use a spoon or fork to drizzle the glaze lightly over the coiled edges of the pastry, just as seen in the reference image. Let the glaze set before serving.

Enjoy Your Homemade Danish Pastries

Serving these warm or at room temperature offers a delightful experience – the flaky, buttery pastry contrasting with the cool, smooth pastry cream. These Custard Danish Swirls, prepared following these steps, will have the golden hue, coiled shape, rich custard center, and delicate glaze shown in the photograph.

Feel encouraged to embark on this baking journey. Sharing the results of kitchen efforts often brings as much joy as the eating!