Sourdough Danish Recipe

a sourdough danish pastry filled with jam is on a gray background

4.50 from 20 reviews

You can make honest to goodness Sourdough Danish Pastry at home. The recipe takes more than 12 hours, but the vast majority of the time is hands-off.

Prep Time1

Bake Time1

Rising Time12

Total Time13 1

Servings:12 servings

Ingredients

8 oz active sourdough starter (1 cup, 100% hydration)
4 oz whole milk (½ cup, scalded and cooled to 105°F)
1 egg (room temperature)
11 ¼ oz all purpose flour (2 ¼ cups, see note)
3 oz granulated sugar (⅓ cup)
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
8 oz unsalted butter (cold, cut into ½" cubes)

Instructions

In a measuring cup, mix 8 oz active sourdough starter, 4 oz whole milk and 1 egg.
Place 11 ¼ oz all purpose flour,3 oz granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt and ½ teaspoon ground cardamom in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook or into a large mixing bowl.
With the mixer running on low, add the starter mixture all at once and mix until it is absorbed. If working by hand stir the liquid in until it’s mostly absorbed.
Mix until the dough gathers on the hook and clears the sides of the bowl. If working by hand stir in as much flour as you can with a wooden spoon, then finish kneading in the rest of the flour by hand.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl and set it aside at room temperature. After 30 minutes uncover the bowl, lift one side of the dough over into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. Cover the bowl and after 30 minutes repeat the procedure. Cover the bowl and after 60 minutes repeat the procedure. Cover the bowl and after 60 minutes repeat the procedure one last time. By now the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Do not knead out the air. Use your hands to pat the dough into a rough 12” square. Distribute 8 oz unsalted butter cubes evenly over 1/2 of the dough. Fold the other half of the dough over to encase the butter. Pinch the seam to enclose the butter.
Use a rolling pin to press down along the dough to flatten the butter and the dough. Roll the dough to a 12” x 16” rectangle. Lightly brush the surface of the dough with cold water. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter. Brush the surface of the dough with cold water. Roll the dough up from the short side. You’ll now have a short log. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to give the dough time to rest and to keep the butter cold.
Press on the log to flatten and roll into a 12” x 16” rectangle. Brush the surface of the dough with cold water. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter then brush the dough with water again and fold in half to make a square.
Wrap the dough and place it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, or up to 2 days.
The dough is ready to use in any recipe. When you use the dough in a recipe, do not unfold before rolling. Sourdough pastry may need a longer rising time than that called for in a recipe using yeasted danish pastry. I prefer an overnight rise in the refrigerator for sourdough danish.

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

Nutrition