Pie and Pastry Bible (140 page)

Return the dough to the floured counter, flour the top, and roll it to about 12 inches wide by 13 inches long. It will be about
inch thick. Brush off all the excess flour.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Spread half the almond filling evenly over the dough in a thin layer, leaving a 1-inch-wide strip of dough bare at the bottom of the rectangle. Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, and raisins evenly over the almond filling. Starting at the top of the dough, and brushing off the excess flour as you go, tightly roll the dough just up to the 1-inch strip at the bottom, leaving it free for tucking under each snail. (Figure 1)

With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 1-inch slices. (Figure 2) Tucking the 1-inch free strip of dough underneath each one (this keeps it from unrolling), place the slices 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. (Figures 3 and 4)

If you have two 2-inch-deep 18-inch sheet pans, invert them over the dough (see page 488). Or, cover the snails lightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray and set the sheet pans aside in a warm spot. Repeat this process with the remaining dough (or store the dough refrigerated for up to 2 days).

Allow the Danish to rise for about 2 hours. They should almost double in size 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 of baking, 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.) Place the Danish in the oven, lower the temperature to 375°F., and bake for 18 to 20 minutes (after 10 minutes, turn around and reverse the positions of the two sheets) or until golden brown (210°F.).

While the Danish 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 snails are done, remove the baking sheets to racks and immediately brush the snails with the glaze. Cool for 20 to 30 minutes.

The snails are best eaten warm or within 3 hours of baking.

STORE

Room temperature, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months. The baked Danish can be reheated in a preheated 300°F. oven for 5 minutes (8 minutes if frozen).

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

See page 489.

DANISH PASTRYTWISTS

T
he dough for this Danish is cut into strips, twisted, and then coiled to form a bun shape. A depression is made in the center, which can be filled with cream cheese filling and/or preserves. My preference is cream cheese filling and sour cherry or blueberry preserves.

These pastry twists are double the size of the Snail Buns (page 502). The optional layer of remonce adds a touch of moistness and lovely flavor, but it makes it a little trickier to cut the dough into strips.

EQUIPMENT

Two half-size sheet pans, lined with parchment
^*
; 2 pastry bags or reclosable freezer bags; a number 4 (
-inch) plain round pastry tube; and a number 5 (
inch) plain round decorating tube (number 5) and coupler

SHAPE THE TWISTS

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes. On a floured counter, roll the dough to a rectangle 6 inches by 14 inches. It will be about ½ inch thick. Brush off all the excess flour.

If using the optional remonce filling, cut the dough lengthwise into 2 strips, each 3 inches wide. Spread one with the remonce and carefully place the second strip on top, lining up the edges. Roll the rectangle back to 6 inches wide.

With a sharp knife, cut the dough lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips. (Figure 1) (The strips will stretch and lengthen on handling to about 20 inches.) To twist a strip, press the end closest to you against the counter. Hold it in place with your left hand, place your right hand palm down on the opposite end of the strip, and move your hand back and forth, rolling the strip from right to left, until it is tightly twisted. (Figure 2) Brush off any excess flour to ensure that the dough will not separate after baking. Keeping the end of the strip against the counter with your left hand, lift the strip so that the rest of it is raised off the counter and coil the strip around the end, maintaining the twist as you spiral around and allowing the rest of the strip to fall on the counter as you go. (Figures 3 and 4) Tuck under the last 1 inch of dough to keep the coil from unrolling and lift it onto a prepared baking sheet. (Figures 5 and 6) Continue making twists, placing them at least 2 inches apart. They will now be about 3 inches in diameter.

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