Pastries | The Old Hen Bed & Breakfast and Blog

Homemade Danish Pastries Recipe

Ever since we were featured on Evening Magazine, this has been my most requested recipe. It simply whisked across the screen for 30 seconds and people were in love. I don’t blame them.

I figure I’ve frosted 58,923 of these in my lifetime so far. They were popular at Scandia Bakery when I worked there many years ago and I made it one of my life goals to try to recreate them. You know, because I missed frosting them every day. My goal has been achieved and I am regifting them to you this Christmas.

You’re welcome. I’m sorry. You’re welcome.

DANISH RECIPE:

5 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110F or cooler)
1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar (divided)
3/4 cup of instant mashed potatoes stirred together with 3/4 cup of warm water
1 1/2 cups warm milk (110F or cooler)
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
About 7 cups all-purpose flour

Place 1 tablespoon of sugar, yeast and warm water into a large bowl. Give a little swirl and let sit for about 10 minutes to become foamy.

After foaminess has developed, whisk in remaining 1 cup of sugar, instant mashed potatoes (mixed with the 3/4 cup water), milk, eggs & shortening. Mix until well combined and shortening is about the size of peas. Finally, stir in salt.

Continue mixing with a wooden spoon and add a couple of cups of flour.

Slowly continue adding a cup or two of flour at a time. When you can no longer stir the dough easily with a spoon, begin kneading in the remaining flour. You can keep it in the bowl while doing this or on the counter – whichever you find easiest for you. Knead by hand for about 5 minutes or until dough is somewhat elastic.

Cover with a clean warm, damp towel and let dough sit in a warm place for about an hour or until dough has doubled in size. This can sometimes take longer in the winter because of the weather so be sure to place dough in a warm place.

Turn happily risen dough onto flour covered countertop. Coat dough with a little bit of flour so it’s easier to work with and punch down. Form into circles or long ovals. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Use fingers to press down and spread out dough into shape and size you would like them to be. Makes up to 24 regular-sized danishes depending on what size you make them. You can also make minis for parties, brunches & teas. They make a lovely spread when filled with different kinds of toppings. Minis are my favorite.

If baking on same day, let sit on tray in a warm place for an hour or doubled in size. If making the night before, cover with non-stick spray coated saran wrap and place in fridge. After removing from fridge, allow to sit out for about 20 minutes before filling.

Press centers of danishes down to make room for fillings, then brush each danish with a well-beaten egg.

FILLING IDEAS:

Cherry & cream cheese (Pictured above. See cream cheese filling recipe below.)
Boysenberry & cream cheese
Apricot
Strawberry & lemon
Lemon & cream cheese
Apple

You can use homemade or store-bought pie fillings or jelly.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING RECIPE:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon
1 cup powdered sugar

Blend together until smooth and creamy. Apply to danishes using a pastry bag.

TO FINISH DANISH:

After danishes are formed, add filling or fillings of choice to each one. Top with streusel.

STREUSEL RECIPE:

1 stick of butter cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cup of flour
2/3 cup of powdered sugar
dash of salt
1 egg

Place streusel ingredients into food processor and press pulse until combined but still crumbly (about the size of peas). Sprinkle onto filled danishes generously.

Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 20-30 minutes or until light golden brown.

Remove danishes from oven when done baking and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Drizzle frosting over danishes and add extra on edges of danish.

FROSTING RECIPE:

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water

Stir together until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Here’s to the next 58,923 perfectly frosted danishes. Merry Christmas.

Glazed Pecan Danish Recipe

Happy. Happy. Joy. Joy. That’s how I feel every time I make pecan glazed danish for breakfast.

Sweet. Nutty. So many adjectives. Adjectives people have used to describe me to be perfectly honest. Still trying to decide how I feel about that.

DANISH INGREDIENTS:

5 teaspoons of yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees or cooler)
1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
3/4 cup of instant mashed potatoes stirred together with 3/4 cup of warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm milk (110 degrees or cooler)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
7 cups flour (approximate)

A large Tupperware bowl works perfect for this recipe from start to finish to make the dough.

Place 5 teaspoons of yeast into mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of warm water at about 110 degrees and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Give a little swirl and let sit for about 10 minutes to create the sponge for your dough.

After yeast is foamy, add all ingredients listed above except flour. Mix well.

Keep mixing and add a couple of cups of flour at a time. Dough will get firmer as you finish adding the rest of the flour. Seven cups is usually the right amount. Dough should become somewhat elastic. Kneed dough for about 5 minutes by hand.

Cover with a clean warm, damp towel and let dough sit in a warm place for about an hour or until dough has doubled in size.

If baking on same day, place oven on 350F to preheat.

If making the night before, cover with non-stick spray coated saran wrap and place in fridge.

PECAN GLAZE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (one stick) melted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
3/4 cup honey
2 cups chopped pecans

Stir all pecan glaze ingredients in a bowl. Spread glaze onto half sheet pan, coating entire pan.

Divide dough into 15 equal pieces. Flatten each piece of dough and form each into a square. Place on baking sheet on top of the pecan glaze in rows of 3 by 5.

If making for the next morning, cover with saran wrap and place in fridge overnight.

If baking same day, let sit in a warm place loosely covered with saran wrap for an hour or until danishes double in size.

Place a larger baking sheet on bottom shelf of half sheet pan to catch any drips. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until danish is baked all the way through (but not dry).

When finished baking, place a baking sheet on top of danish pan. Carefully flip danishes over onto new pan so that the pecans are on top.

Serve hot or warmed. With butter if you like.

Pecan glazed danish. Entirely appropriate for the holidays. Entirely excusable because pecans are good for you.

Mini Almond Mazarin Tart With Fresh Fruit Recipe

Buttery crust and almondy filling but the real topper is the glazed fresh fruit. Fancy yet simple. Plain yet colorful.

Preheat oven to 350F.

CRUST INGREDIENTS:

2 sticks (one cup) butter
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of almond

If butter is chilled, things will simply take longer to come together but will eventually become a lovely dough. Press dough into about 16 – 4 inch tart pans. If making less tarts, just save extra dough in fridge for another day.

ALMOND FILLING INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs, beaten
7 oz. almond paste (make sure it’s fresh & soft)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine filling ingredients until well beaten.

Filling will be a little runny.

Place some almond filling into each tart. Place tarts on a cookie sheet and bake..

Prepare fruit by rinsing & cutting. You can use any fruit you like with these tarts. Most berries (especially raspberries & blueberries) and stone fruits (cherries, peaches, nectarines) go best with almond.

To coat fruit with a glossy topping, place about 3/4 cup of apricot jam with a few tablespoons of water and heat until thinned. Allow to cool a bit before using.

Remove from oven when tops are golden brown.

Pile fruit upon tart in a most glorious fashion and drizzle with apricot glaze. Adorn with fresh mint if desired.

Perfect for breakfast, a tea or dessert.

Cinnamon Rolls With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

These cinnamon rolls are being brought to you after lots of practice. Practice at making the dough. Practice at making the filling. Practice at making the frosting. And, well, you know. Practice of eating them warm out of the oven.

I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve always been good at the latter. It’s just the other three that have taken me years to figure out. And here they are all together for your enjoyment. Breakfast perfection.

This is what I mean by perfecting the filling. Chewy and sugary on the bottom and, well, you just simply must make these to understand completely.

CINNAMON ROLL INGREDIENTS:

5 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (110F or lower)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup instant mashed potatoes stirred together with 3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
7 cups white flour
1/2 cup (or one stick) melted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cinnamon

Place yeast into a large mixing bowl. Add warm water and sugar. Give a little swirl and let sit for about 10 minutes to create the sponge for your dough. When it looks bubbly & frothy, it is ready.

Whisk mashed potatoes, milk, shortening, eggs and salt into yeast mixture.

Add flour about a cup at a time. At about 5-6 cups, you will need to start kneeding the last cup or two in with your hands. continue to kneed for about 5 minutes. Dough should be able to be formed into a smooth ball. Let sit in a warm place to rise for one hour.

After dough has risen, roll out into a long strip that is about 5 inches high all the way down the counter. Smoother with melted butter.

Combine brown sugar, sugar and cinnamony goodness into medium bowl.

Spread cinnamon mixture onto butter. Rub it all together as much as possible. Latex gloves work fabulously for this kind of project.

Roll dough upward and cut into about 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces.

Spray baking pan/pans with non-stick baking spray. Place rolls on their sides into two 9X13 baking pans or one half sheet pan. Leave space in between each roll as they will double in size again.

Spray plastic wrap with non-stick spray and cover cinnamon rolls. Place in fridge overnight to rise slowly. Or, you can let them rise in a warm place for about an hour.

After they have risen overnight in the fridge or an hour in a warm place, preheat oven to 350F. When oven is ready, bake until light golden brown. This is the point when I sneak a little extra butter on top to melt. Today my butter was from Denmark. It made everything more special. It also made me want to wear wooden shoes but my grandma slipper socks would have to do.

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes – just enough time to make the frosting.

MAPLE FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

4 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons of (salted) butter, softened
4 tablespoons of water
4 teaspoons of Mapleine (imitation flavoring sold in seasoning aisle at grocery stores)
1/8 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

Mix frosting ingredients together until smooth. Seriously. I can’t even speak right now.

Smear frosting upon cinnamon rolls generously. Again, latex gloves work wonders for this kind of “work”.

Serve to guests as soon as possible to make up for setting your car alarm off at 7am right under their suite windows.

Eat with a fork or, you know, latex gloves could work too. Add coffee and sunshine and call it a peaceful weekend. Well, if you minus the car alarm.

Lemon Coconut Scones With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

What do pancakes, scones and frosting all have in common? Well, if you plan things very carefully, lemon coconut scones with cream cheese frosting…

Lemon Coconut Pancakes + Orange Scones + Cream Cheese Frosting

= Lemon Coconut Scones With Cream Cheese Frosting

First make the scones from the blueberry citrus scone recipe. Replace the orange juice & zest with the juice and zest from two lemons. Replace the blueberries with a cup of coconut. Or you know, just add them both. After all, Y.O.L.O.

Form the scone dough into 2 discs (or 4 discs for 16 smaller scones). Use a little flour to help form if dough becomes sticky. Cut each disc into quarters.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until light golden and done in the middle.

Make the cream cheese frosting and add some extra lemon juice to thin it down a little.

Remove the lovelies from the oven. Could they even be more beautiful?

Why, yes. Yes, they could.

And a touch of toasted coconut takes them way over the top and back down again. Lemony. Coconuty. Cream cheesy. Most impressive planning.

Toasted coconut can be tossed over a medium high heat in a saucepan or baked on a cookie sheet until golden brown. And, yes, it is worth the trouble.

Boston Cream Pie Napoleons

Sometimes my recipe ideas are well thought out and planned. Other times, I happen upon a miracle while looking at the ingredients I already have on hand. This happened one day last year while Jessica and her husband were visiting us at The Old Hen.

This is the “this” that happened.

This recipe is actually a combination of a couple of recipes I’ve posted in the past. Put them together and light, fluffy puff pastry meets puddingy goodness which meets cream cheesy chocolate ganache which meets waistline.

First, make homemade vanilla pudding. Chill in ridge overnight or for about 3 hours. Don’t worry, it’s much easier than you might think and much better than boxed.

Store bought puff pastry is perfectly acceptable since we’re making everything else from scratch. Defrost on the counter for 40 minutes.

Roll out puff pastry sheets on a little bit of flour. Cut each sheet into three equal strips.

Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated (preheating is very important) oven for about 20 minutes or until puff pastry is fluffy and light golden brown.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE GANACHE INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened

Using the best chocolate chips you can buy, place chocolate in a double boiler on very low heat. After melted, stir in heavy cream.

Add softened cream cheese and sugar. Stir in until cream cheese is melted (using a hand mixer works best).

Loveliness.

After puff pastry has cooled to room temperature and pudding has chilled, cut each sheet of puff pastry into two layers. Spread pudding over first layer of puff pastry.

Place second half of puff pastry upon pudding then spread with ganache.

Repeat layers until you reach 5,496 calories. The top layer should be ganache. You know, cuz it’s prettiest. Carefully cut into 4 pieces. A gentle back and forth motion with a serrated knife while holding the pastry works best. Using a large decorating bag and large tip, decorate top with fresh whipped cream.

Serve with fresh berries and coffee. And a fork. And a knife. And a few napkins. The good news is that if you can stop at one, it’s only 1,374 calories.

This recipe makes a total for eight servings (four from each sheet of puff pastry).

Cream Horns and Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

It’s my birthday. It’s not a big deal, really. I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve survived quite a few. One involved being snowed in but that was okay. I just pretend I’m Laura Ingalls Wilder (we share a birthday and we’re soul sisters). I’m pretty much a first-born introvert so that birthday was easier to get through than the one which involved a rotating restaurant, a piano and singing waiters. Or the surprise party which actually was a surprise.

My favorite birthday might have been the one that included Polynesian fire dancers. And grass skirts. And a roasted pig. It’s a toss-up between that one and the year I discovered Baskin Robbins ice cream cakes. It’s hard to choose, really. This year I’m starting my day with a Diet Coke, chocolate covered strawberries, a Facebook post from dotter that made me cry and a boiled egg so things are looking up. If anyone would like to send over a Polynesian fire dancer, I’ll roast the pig. But I digress. Laura Ingalls would not approve.

Once you begin being naughty, it is easier to go and on and on, and sooner or later something dreadful happens. – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Speaking of things that are nice to look at, part of my birthday celebration this year is sharing a beautiful and super easy recipe with you. Cream horns. You’re welcome.

To prep strawberries, rinse a small container of them off then drip dry on a paper towel until very dry. Dip in chocolate and allow to cool while you make the cream horns. Dipped strawberries can be made the night before.

Remove a box of puff pastry from the freezer (Puff pastry is found in the freezer section of the grocery store). Puff pastry is moody. There are two things you must know before going any further… First, you can only defrost puff pastry by placing in the fridge overnight or by setting it out on the counter for 40 minutes. If you defrost it too long in either place, it will stick together. Second, preheat oven to 400 degrees. This step is not optional with puff pastry. Not preheating will give you limp puff pastry. Don’t ask me how I know these things, I just do.

Cover a thin rolling-pin or sugar ice cream cones in foil. Ice cream cones will give you a cone shape which is also very fun. Spray foil with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

Cut puff pastry into 8 long strips. A pizza cutter works well for this. Roll puff pastry strips around rolling-pin (or cone). You don’t have to roll terribly tight. When one runs out, attach another. It will take about 4 strips to make one cream horn. Beat one egg in a small bowl and brush on the puff pastry as you go to help it stick together.

Perfection not necessary. Brush each cream horn with the beaten egg for a glossy finish.

If you have leftover puff pastry, just roll in parchment paper and then wrap in plastic. Keep in fridge for up to a few days (since it’s now rolled in parchment, that’s okay) or return to freezer for another birthday.

Sprinkle with Wilton’s White Sparkling Sugar for a classy touch. If you don’t happen to have this on your cupboard, you can use a little bit of regular sugar. But I do recommend getting some as soon as possible. I mean if you can’t have fire dancers, at least you can enjoy some big, sparkly sugar.

After at least 20 minutes, you will have this. It is normal and healthy to feel a sense of joy and pride in this moment for it is glorious.

After cream puffs cool, remove carefully from rolling-pin or cones. Place them on a parchment paper and drizzle chocolate over them. But only if you’re obsessive about your desserts. And chocolate. And drizzles. Like me.

If you’re in a hurry or if your room is too hot for chocolate to cool – you know, from fire dancers – just place cream horns in fridge to harden chocolate.

Make whipped cream. Using a pastry bag (no decorating tip needed), fill cream horns with goodness.

Adorn cream horns with freshly dipped chocolate strawberries. Laura Ingalls would approve.
It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Maple Boys Recipe

If you’re looking for a special Christmas morning breakfast, you have come to the right place. These adorable little boys have become a tradition at family gatherings and at our B&B. Everyone loves them and all of their mapley goodness.

This recipe makes about a dozen Maple Boys.

These are perfect for making on Christmas Eve night and then refrigerating & baking the next morning.

While waiting for sponge to do it’s magic, you can get the other ingredients ready…

1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup of instant mashed potatoes stirred together with 3/4 cup of warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm milk (110 degrees or cooler)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs

After sponge (see bubbly goodness in picture) has developed, add ingredients listed above. Mix well.

Keep mixing and add a couple of cups of flour.

Continue to mix in flour until dough wants to “hug” the beater as shown in this picture. Dough will have gone from somewhat soupy to more elasticity. Give or take, it can take about 7 cups to reach this point. This isn’t an exact measurement because the amount of flour you’ll need depends on how much moisture is in the air.

This is the time to switch to the dough hook. Kneed with dough hook for about 6-8 minutes.

Be sure to lock the mixer down or, turns out, you will end up with a dough tornado. I’ll be darned. That’s a first.

Cover with a clean warm, damp towel and let dough sit in a warm place for about an hour or until dough has doubled in size.

Have I introduced you to Scoop yet? I love how this scoop allows me to pretend I am a baker like the ones I grew up watching. My baking has gotten better since I found her in an antique shop. Okay, maybe it’s not because of Scoop but I like to think so.

While I’m at it, I thought you might like to see how I keep my flour. I bake. I bake a lot. So, I went for the charcoal caddy. The pantry incident this year is further proof that I should not keep 20 pounds of flour upon my pantry shelves. Okay, I do believe I have killed enough time and can move on to the next step with you. See how clever I was there?

Turn happily risen dough onto flour covered countertop. Coat with a little bit of flour and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick.

Find a gingerbread boy cookie cutter that is about 5-6 inches tall. Swoosh in flour a bit so it doesn’t stick to the dough…

… then use to create Christmas magic. If you don’t have a gingerbread cookie cutter, you can just cut into rectangles and make baked maple bars. I promise you that they will taste just as amazing.

If baking on same day, place oven on 350F to preheat. Place boys on a baking sheet coated with non-stick baking spray or parchment paper. Let sit on tray in a warm place until doubled in size (about 45 minutes) or if your oven has a proofing setting, you can place them in there for about 1/2 hour to speed things up. After they’re done rising, bake for about 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

If making the night before, cover with non-stick spray coated saran wrap and place in fridge.

Finally the almost holy maple frosting.

8 cups powdered sugar
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 ounces of (salted) butter, softened
8 tablespoons of water
8 teaspoons of Mapleine
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Cool maple boys for about 5-10 minutes and then coat with maple frosting.

You’ll also need about 1 cup of powdered sugar & a teaspoon or so of water mixed together to create the white frosting for the gingy cuteness.

Your family might actually have a hard time deciding between gift opening and Maple Boys. Okay, maybe not, but there’s no better way to start Christmas morning than to spoil them with both.