Pecan & Maple Danish Pastry

Instructions

Warm the milk and remove from the heat before adding the yeast and sugar and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes before adding an egg. Gently whisk and leave on the worktop.

In a food processor or mixing bowl, add the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and 230g of butter and mix until you have a chunky mixture. Add the milk, sugar, yeast and egg mixture and mix until a dough forms.

Using clingfilm to cover your worktop add your dough and use the clingfilm to mould the dough in to a square. Add to the freezer for 45 minutes.

Dust your worktop with flour and roll your dough in to a rectangular shape making sure it is fairly long length ways. Fold the short sides of the dough into the middle and flip the dough over so the folds are underneath. Roll out the dough out again and repeat at least 6 times to create a stretchy consistency.

Using clingfilm, wrap the dough and leave in the fridge over night.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 170C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread your pecan halves out evenly on the baking paper and place in the oven for 10 minutes, making sure to give the tray a shake every now and then to move the pecans around.

Slit a vanilla pod open down its length, and scrape out the small, sticky seeds using the tip of a small, sharp knife. Add half of the vanilla seeds, all of the pecans, brown sugar, 30g butter, 6 tablespoons of maple syrup, cinnamon and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients form a coarse paste.

Dust your worktop with flour, cut your pastry in half and roll the dough out making sure it's 5cm to 6cm thick. Cut rectangular shapes out of the dough and add the filling a long the centre of each rectangle and diagonally cut strips on either side. Fold the strips alternately towards the middle to create the plait. Seal the ends making sure the filling can not escape.

Line a baking tray with clingfilm or baking paper and place the pastries evenly on the tray. Leave for an hour to rise. Preheat the oven to 190C.

Brush an egg or milk wash over the pastries and sprinkle chopped pecans on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Add the icing sugar, two tablespoons of maple syrup, the other half of the vanilla seeds and some water (if needed) in a bowl and mix. Drizzle the icing over the pastry once they have cooled. Add extra chopped pecan on top if desired.