Fruit-Filled Danish Pastries (These are SO good!)‏

Fruit-Filled Danish Pastries

The smell and taste of these seemingly rich pastries will warm the coldest winter afternoon or dreariest morning, or provide a lovely touch of sweetness following your evening meal. They are really good and I highly recommend them.

Yield 12 pastries

Dough
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup almond flour
1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Filling #1
1 cup dried apricots cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

Filling #2
1 cup chopped apples
2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate

Filling #3
I cup dried plums cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

Prior to mixing the dough, stir the juice and fruit of choice together into a mixing bowl. Refrigerate and let sit while the dough is mixed and while it rises.

Add yeast to the warm water and let sit. Mix flours, salt and orange zest in a separate bowl. Mix juice and eggs beating eggs slightly in another bowl. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well. Knead until well-mixed and until the dough is spongy. (The dough is soft.) Cover, put in a warm place and let rise. Knead again. Let rise again. (The person who printed the original recipe only let it rise once but that always worries me because I know bread needs air to rise and that takes time to develop.) Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes. On a floured board with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares. Place equal portions of the filling of choice in the center of each square. Pull up the points of two opposite corners over the fruit and press together. Pinch the other pair of corners to make a square package enclosing the filling. Place the Danish pastries two-inches apart on two lightly oiled baking sheets. Cover loosely and place in the refrigerator. Let rise overnight or for at least three or four hours. (I let mine raise while I was at church and then baked them when I got home.) Remove from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place in heated oven and bake until golden brown about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm. The pastries are also good cold.