Freezer Danish Pastry

This basic pastry can be turned into several freeze ahead rolls to be pulled out and heated for your or your guests! I warn you it takes a little time but you will have it stored and ready for use...and you look very accomplished doing it!

• Ready In: 5 hrs
• Serves: 18

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups sweet butter, softened
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  very warm water
• 2  packages active dry yeast
• 1  egg
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a bowl, with a wooden spoon, beat butter and 1/4 cup flour until smooth.
2. Spread on waxed paper (on wet surface) to 12 8" rectangle.
3. Refrigerate on a cookie sheet.
4. Heat milk slightly and add sugar and salt, stirring to dissolve.
5. Cool to lukewarm Check temperature of water with a termometer (if necessary; should be about 105-115 deg).
6. Pour into a large bowl and sprinkle with yeast; stir to dissolve.
7. Stir in milk mixture, egg and 3 cups of flour; beat with wooden spoon until smooth.
8. Mix in rest of flour with hand until dough leave side of the bowl (Ok, at this point you are wondering is all this worth a few danish's-- it is).
9. Refrigerate, covered 1/2 hour.
10. Turn out onto lightly floured pastry cloth; with covered rolling pin, roll into 16 X 12" rectangle.
11. Place chilled butter mixture on half of dough; remove paper; fold other half of dough over butter; pinch the edges to seal. With fold at right, roll out from center to a 16 X 8" rectangle.
12. From short side, fold dough into thirds, making three layers; seal edges; chill wrapped in foil, for about 1 hour.
13. Repeat rolling and folding (if butter breaks through, brush with flour) seal egges; chill 1/2 hour.
14. Roll; fold again, seal edges, chill, wrapped in foil for 3 hours or overnight.
15. TO FREEZE: Divide cold pastry into thirds.
16. Wrap each third in foil; seal, label and freeze.
17. If desired, make up 1/3 into Cherry Pinwheels and 1/3 into Cinnamon Bear Claws Posted separately (Unbaked Danish pastry may be stored in the freezer for several months, if desired).