Instructions

1. Roll out the danish pastry dough to about 1/4 inch thick in a rectangle that measures 12 to 15 inches wide and to the desired length for the danish, up to about 18 inches long. Roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper and move the parchment paper to a baking pan.

2. Visually divide the width of the dough into thirds. The center one-third of the dough sheet holds the filling and forms the bottom of the danish while the sides are folded into the plait.

4. Cut 1/2- to 1-inch wide strips along the left and right sides of the pastry dough, using a pizza cutter. Leave the center one-third of the dough uncut. Make the cuts at a slight downward-facing angle, with an equal number of cuts on each side. Each cut on one side should line up with the cuts on the opposite side of the dough.

5. Spread the almond cream, marzipan or your choice of filling evenly over the center of the dough in a layer about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Leave about a 1/2-inch margin of dough at the top and bottom so the filling doesn't squeeze out of the danish.

6. Fold the 1/2-inch margin at the top over the filling to close the top end. Fold the top strip on the left and right side in toward the center of the dough, covering the folded top. Repeat this with the 1/2-inch margin and dough strips at the bottom of the dough.

7. Fold the dough strips along the sides in toward the center, alternating between the left and right side. Fold the top, left strip over and fold the top, right strip on top of its corresponding strip. Repeat this pattern all the way to the bottom of the dough until all dough strips are folded over. The dough isn't actually braided, but the folded dough looks similar.

8. Brush the braided dough generously with egg wash to hold the folds in place and create a shiny crust. Make egg wash at a rate of 1 tablespoon of water to one egg. Apply the egg wash with a pastry brush.

9. Sprinkle slivered almonds over the egg-washed danish plait. The danish dough must be proofed at 90 degrees Fahrenheit for about two hours to allow the dough to rise. You can use your oven if you don't have a proof box just for this purpose. Preheat your oven on its lowest setting with an oven thermometer hanging on the rack. Turn off the heat when the thermometer reads 90 F. Turn on the oven when the temperature drops and turn it back off when it hits 90 F. This is a tedious process, but it's essential to achieving a flaky danish.