Daring Bakers and Danish Braids

When I saw the Daring Bakers challenge for June, I was moderately excited. Bread is something I have been making for about 16 years. Not well, not often...but I have experience. (I even have the 16 year old Bosch to prove it, but that's another story for another day.)

With BBJ helping me every step of the way, I tackled this months' challenge - Danish Braid. It's a pastry made with laminated dough (dough layered with butter and follded and chilled and rolled and folded and chilled and...you get the idea. Think croissant, but with a little yeast added in.) flavored with orange juice, orange zest, cardamom and cinnamon. It was something I never would have attempted on my own (especially not in June, on the East Coast!) and I was very excited.



I followed the recipe, omitting the vanilla beans ('cause really, who's ever got those on hand?) and I used a home-canned apple pie filling instead of the one from the recipe. (It's still homemade, right?)




After two days and lots of waiting, the braid was finally done...and it is AMAZING. I expected to learn some new techniques with Daring Bakers...I never expected to find something I would plan on making over and over! This could be a signature brunch dish. Even Lo Gung liked it - and he doesn't like treats.