Method
Step 1
To make the Danish dough, in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix to combine the dry ingredients.
Step 2
With the mixer running on slow, drizzle in the melted butter and then the water. Continue to mix on slow until all the liquid has been absorbed, and a dough starts to form.
Step 3
Turn the mixer speed up to a medium-high speed and knead the dough until it’s smooth. This will take about 8–10 minutes.
Step 4
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, then cover with clingfilm and leave to prove at room temperature for 40–60 minutes, until doubled in size and springing back to the touch.
Step 5
Once proved, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then roll into a square measuring approximately 20cm x 20cm.
Step 6
Place the square of cold butter onto the dough so it looks like a diamond sitting on the square of dough. Use the diagram below to help you.
Step 7
Fold the 4 corners of dough up over the butter so they meet in the middle. Press together to seal.
Step 8
Keeping the butter sealed inside the dough, roll the dough out to a rectangle measuring approximately 45cm long.
Step 9
Once you have a rectangle, fold the bottom third up and then the top third down to cover it. The pastry should now be a square. This is a fold. Use the diagram below to help you.
Step 10
Place the dough in a sandwich bag and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.
Step 11
Once chilled, remove the pastry from the fridge and transfer to a lightly floured surface. With the seam on the left-hand side, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 45cm long.
Step 12
Repeat the folding, using the diagram above to help you, then return to the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Step 13
Repeat these steps twice more, so you’ve made a total of 4 folds, making sure to chill for 20–30 minutes between each one.
Step 14
To make the marinated strawberries, cut the stalks off the strawberries, place in a sandwich bag or a small bowl.
Step 15
Slice the vanilla pod in half and scrap out the seeds using the back of a knife, then mix with the caster sugar so that the seeds are evenly distributed.
Step 16
Transfer the vanilla sugar to the bag or bowl with the strawberries and mix well so that it coats all of the strawberries.
Step 17
Cover the bowl with cling film, then set aside to marinade for a couple of hours so that the juices from the strawberries are released.
Step 18
To make the crème mousseline, begin by making a crème pâtissière. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, salt and cornflour together to make a smooth paste.
Step 19
Heat the milk in a small saucepan to just below boiling point, then pour over the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
Step 20
Return the mixture to the pan, and heat over a gentle heat until the mixture begins to thicken.
Step 21
Continue to cook the mixture, stirring continuously until it thickens and resembles the consistency of Greek yoghurt. This is crème pâtissière.
Step 22
Once the crème pâtissière is at the correct consistency, pour into a food processor, then add the clotted cream and blitz together.
Step 23
With the food processor still running, slowly add the butter bit by bit, to make a smooth, silky crème mousseline.
Step 24
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl, cover the surface with clingfilm and then chill in the fridge.
Step 25
To make the strawberry elderflower jam, heat the strawberries, elderflower cordial and sugar in a small pan over a medium heat, until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 26
Increase the heat and boil until the mixture reaches 105°C/221°F.
Step 27
Transfer to a shallow tray and chill to set.
Step 28
To shape the Danishes, roll the dough out to a large rectangle, approximately 20cm x 30cm. Trim the edges of the dough, then cut 6 squares measuring 10cm x 10cm.
Step 29
Using the diagram below to help you, fold a square in half diagonally, so you make a triangle.
Step 30
With a knife, make two cuts starting from the longer edge, going towards the point, but stop before the cuts meet. The cuts should run parallel to the edge, and they should be about 1cm from the edge.
Step 31
Unfold the triangle back to a square. You should have created a smaller square within the pastry.
Step 32
Using the diagram below to help you, take one of the corners of pastry and fold it all the way over to the opposite corner. Fold the other side over the top, so you have a diamond shape with 2 loops at the end.
Step 33
Repeat this shaping for the remaining squares of dough so that you have 6 x shaped Danishes.
Step 34
Once all the Danishes are shaped, transfer to a lined baking sheet.
Step 35
Fill the small square in the middle of each Danish with a teaspoon of the crème mousseline.
Step 36
Put the tray into a large plastic bag, then prove at room temperature for 25–30 minutes, or until the dough springs back when lightly touched.
Step 37
Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/410°F/Gas 6.
Step 38
Once proved, place a teaspoon of the strawberry elderflower jam on top of the crème mousseline. Lightly egg-wash the pastry using the beaten egg.
Step 39
Bake for 20–22 minutes or until deep golden and risen.
Step 40
Once removed from the oven, brush the warm pastries with a little apricot jam to glaze and then leave to cool.
Step 41
Transfer the remaining crème mousseline to a piping bag fitted with a petal shaped nozzle.
Step 42
Once cool, add another teaspoon of strawberry elderflower jam on top of the baked filling, then pipe a delicate ribbon of crème mousseline in the centre of each Danish.
Step 43
Transfer the marinated strawberries to a sieve set over a bowl. Remove the strawberries from the sieve and thinly slice.
Step 44
Arrange the thinly sliced strawberries on top of the crème mousseline.
