Danish families call the various styles and shapes of Danish Pastry "Coffee Bread" and a real Danish breakfast consists of Coffee Bread and Coffee, nothing else. In America, these rich pastries are served as often for dessert or for an afternoon party as they are for breakfast.
Cardamom, which is used in many of these recipes, is a favorite spice that resembles cinnamon in taste. It is a seed which Danish cooks crush to a powder with a rolling pin. Cinnamon may be substituted but will not give the real Danish flavor.
The term "warm place" in coffee bread recipes means about 80 to 85 degrees of temperature.
Butter is called for in all of these Pastry recipes. Vegetable shortening, or oleomargarine, may be substituted unless otherwise specified, but you will lose the real, good, old-world flavor by doing so.
Wienerbrod
2 cups Milk 3 Eggs
2 Yeast Cakes 1 teaspoon Cardamom
6 cups Flour 1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup soft Butter Almonds, Cooked Prunes
1/2 cup Sugar Applesauce or Jelly
Soak yeast cakes in 1/2 cup lukewarm milk a few minutes before adding to other ingredients. Warm the rest of the milk slightly. Mix all ingredients, except butter, thoroughly. Put onto floured board and knead until smooth. Roll to about 1/2 inch thickness and spread with butter. Fold and refold four times and set aside in greased bowl to raise for 45 minutes. Keep warm. Place on floured board and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Refold four times and roll again; by this time there should not be any of the butter showing. Cut into long strips, 1 inch wide. These strips are then formed into twists, braids, squares or pretzels to vary the shape of the individual pieces to be served. Vary the flavor of each with a sprinkle of chopped almonds, a dash of jelly, or a slit in the dough that is filled with cooked prunes or applesauce. Let rise to double bulk (being sure to always keep it warm) and bake until brown at 375. While still warm, glaze with a mixture of powdered sugar and water.
