Easy Danish Pastry

Make the dough

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. Add the wet ingredients. Add warm milk, egg, vanilla (if using), and softened butter. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead. Knead by hand on a lightly floured counter for 6 to 8 minutes (or 4 to 5 minutes in a stand mixer) until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft and only slightly tacky. Add a sprinkle of flour only if it is truly sticky and smearing everywhere.
4. First chill (important). Shape into a rough rectangle, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Make the butter block

1. Shape the butter. Mix cold butter with 2 tablespoons flour. Place between two sheets of parchment and pound or roll into a 6x8-inch rectangle. Keep edges as squared as you can.
2. Chill. Refrigerate the butter block for 15 minutes. You want it cold but pliable, like you could bend it without it snapping.

Laminate the dough

1. Roll and enclose. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick (roughly 10x14 inches is a good target). Place the butter block in the center, then fold the dough over it like a letter. Brush off excess flour, then pinch seams to seal the edges.
2. First fold. Roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/4-inch thick, then fold into thirds like a letter. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Second fold. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, roll again to about 1/4-inch thick, fold into thirds again. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. Third fold (optional but recommended). Repeat one more roll and fold for extra layers. Chill 45 minutes before shaping.

Baker tip: A good lamination day is all about matching textures. You want the dough and butter to feel similarly firm. If the butter starts smearing or the dough starts fighting you, stop and chill. Warm butter is the enemy. Cold butter is your flaky little best friend.

Quick lamination checklist: butter and dough are similar firmness, you brush off loose flour before folding, and you chill any time the butter feels soft.

Make the filling and preheat

1. Mix filling. Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, lemon juice or zest, and salt until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.
2. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. If your oven runs hot or pastries tend to brown fast, you can bake at 375°F instead and add a couple minutes as needed.

Shape the Danish

1. Roll and cut. Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick (roughly 12x16 inches). Trim edges for neat layers (optional, but satisfying). Cut into 12 squares.
2. Shape. For pinwheels: cut a small slit from each corner toward the center, then fold alternating corners into the middle. For simple squares: fold two opposite corners toward the center. For circles: cut rounds and press a shallow well in the center.
3. Add filling. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into the center of each pastry. Keep it centered so it does not leak out.
4. Proof. Let pastries rest at room temperature until slightly puffy and jiggly and the layers look a bit relaxed (not doubled). This often takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is. In a cooler kitchen it may take longer, and that is fine. In a very warm kitchen, proof shorter or pop the tray in the fridge for 10 minutes if the butter starts feeling soft.

Egg wash and bake

1. Egg wash. Whisk egg with milk or water. Lightly brush the exposed dough (avoid brushing the filling).
2. Bake. Bake one sheet at a time for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway, until deeply golden with crisp edges. Doneness cues: the bottoms are browned, the layers look set (not doughy), and the centers no longer look wet or raw.
3. Cool. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Ice and serve

1. Make icing. Whisk powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, vanilla, and salt. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time until it drizzles easily.
2. Drizzle. Drizzle over pastries only when they are completely cool, or the icing will melt right off. Wait 10 minutes for it to set, then eat one standing at the counter like a champion.