Pie and Pastry Bible (136 page)

Room temperature, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months. The baked braid can be reheated in a preheated 300°F. oven for 5 minutes (10 minutes if frozen).

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

It is best to cover the dough with the inverted 2-inch-deep pan so that nothing touches the surface.

UNDERSTANDING

The water in the 2 teaspoons of butter added to the chocolate makes it just firm enough to spread perfectly onto the dough.

DANISH ENVELOPES

(
Spandau
)

S
pandau
is the Danish word for envelope. The word serves as a good description for these pastries, because the dough is folded like an envelope over the filling. There are several ways to fold the dough in addition to the familiar two corners meeting in the center with filling showing at either end. Some of the shapes look elaborate, but they are all very easy to create.

I find these four-corner envelopes to be the prettiest of all. They start off as square packages with four little oval openings containing preserves at each corner, and during baking, they blossom open like flowers to reveal more of the filling.

Each envelope shape creates a different texture in the dough.

EQUIPMENT

A large baking sheet or half-size sheet pan, lined with parchment
^*
; 2 pastry bags or reclosable freezer bags; a number 6 (½-inch) plain round pastry tube; and a number 5 (
-inch) plain round decorating tube and coupler

Make the dough (see page 486).

SHAPE THE ENVELOPES

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. On a floured counter, roll the dough to a rectangle 12 inches by 9 to 10 inches. It will be ¼ inch thick. Slip it onto a cookie sheet, cover it lightly, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.

Return the dough to the floured counter, flour the top, and roll it to a rough 12-inch square. It will be about
inch thick. Brush off all the excess flour.

Using a ruler and a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into nine 4-inch squares. With the ½-inch pastry tube (or use a spoon), pipe a walnut-size dollop (about ½ tablespoons) of the remonce into the center of each. (Figure 1) Bring the corners to the center so that they meet, brush each with egg wash, and press down well to make them adhere. (Figure 2) Brush the center of each
envelope with egg wash and place a few almonds on top of it. Arrange the envelopes on the baking sheet, leaving at least 1½ inches between them. (Only 8 will fit on a sheet, so the ninth one needs to bake separately on a small cookie sheet or an inverted cake pan. The envelopes can be frozen for up to 3 weeks, thawed, proofed, and baked.)

If you have a 2-inch-deep 18-inch sheet pan, invert it over the dough (see page 488). Alternatively, cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray and set the envelopes aside in a warm spot. Allow them to rise for about 2 hours. They should almost double and be very light to the touch.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the middle level before preheating.

Five minutes ahead, place a pan with about 1 inch of boiling water in the lower part of the oven. (To prevent a ring from forming if using a metal pan, add a pinch of cream of tartar to the water.) Press the center of each envelope to help it adhere during baking. Place the envelopes in the oven, lower the temperature to 375°F., and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown (200° to 210°F.).

While the envelopes are baking, prepare the sugar glaze: In a small bowl, place the powdered sugar. Whisk in the water and lemon juice. The glaze should be the consistency of egg white. If necessary, add a bit more sugar or water.

When the Spandau are done, remove the baking sheet to a rack and immediately brush them with the glaze. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

If desired, pipe the drizzle glaze around the edges of the Spandau. Danish are best eaten warm, while the outside is crisp and light and the center soft and tender, or within 3 hours of baking.

VARIATIONS

TRIANGLE TWISTS
To make this intriguing shape, fold over each dough square. (Figure 1) Starting ¾ inch from either point at the base of the triangle, cut a second smaller triangle through both layers of dough. (Figure 2) Open up the triangle to return to the square shape. (Figure 3) Two opposite corners of dough will still be attached to the outer frame of dough. Turn the dough over and brush off any excess
flour. Reinvert and brush the border with the egg wash. With your fingers, lift each of the two unattached edges of the dough and slip one under the other, crossing them over and pulling them out to the edge. This will cause the attached edges to cross over each other to form triangular shapes with two twisted corners. (Figure 4)