Fruit Danishes

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make fruit Danishes? Start with the custard, since it needs to cool completely. Get the ingredients for it ready. To make the custard, pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it over low heat until it's just about to boil — until the first bubbles appear.

2. Step 2:

   

   In a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt. Add three egg yolks. Whisk until smooth. Don't be surprised by the salt in a sweet custard — it deepens the flavor.

3. Step 3:

   

   Add the flour and mix.

4. Step 4:

   

   Pour the hot milk into the mixture a little at a time (in a thin stream), whisking well after each addition.

5. Step 5:

   

   Pour the custard base back into the saucepan and cook over low heat until it thickens. Stir constantly so it doesn't form lumps or scorch — a whisk works best.

6. Step 6:

   

   It took me about ten minutes for the custard to get thick enough. Take the saucepan off the heat and set it aside to cool. As it cools, the custard thickens further and holds its shape even better.

7. Step 7:

   

   Prepare the fruit. Wash the tangerine, peel it, and separate it into segments. For easier eating, I recommend carefully removing the white pith from each segment.

8. Step 8:

   

   Wash the pear, core it, and cut it into thin slices.

9. Step 9:

   

   Wash the grapes, halve them, and remove any seeds. I used both light and dark grapes.

10. Step 10:

    

    Prepare the dough. Puff pastry is usually sold frozen in two sheets. Thaw it ahead of time by moving it from the freezer to the bottom shelf of the fridge. Cut each sheet into four equal squares. If the pastry is too thick, roll it out a little so it's about 5 mm thick.

11. Step 11:

    

    With a sharp knife, cut slits in each square as shown in the photo, leaving two opposite corners uncut.

12. Step 12:

    

    Fold the cut edges over and lay them across each other. This gives you neat raised sides and a well for the filling. Place the pieces on a baking sheet greased with oil or lined with parchment (I used a Teflon baking sheet). Prick the pastry with a fork so it doesn't puff up too much while baking. Leave about 2 cm between them, as they'll expand a lot.

13. Step 13:

    

    Spread the cooled custard inside the wells — about a heaping tablespoon per Danish.

14. Step 14:

    

    Decorate the Danishes with the prepared fruit. Leave them to proof in a warm place for twenty minutes.

15. Step 15:

    

    Brush the Danishes with lightly beaten egg yolk using a pastry brush. Bake them in an oven preheated to 400°F (200°C) for about 30 minutes, until golden. Take them out and let them cool before serving.