Experience the delightful blend of sweet blueberries and zesty lemon in these homemade Danish pastries. Each bite offers a rich, tender dough filled with luscious blueberry pie filling, topped with a buttery crumble and a refreshing lemon glaze.
Perfect for breakfast or dessert, these pastries are as beautiful as they are delicious. They bring the aroma of fresh lemon zest and warm baked fruits right to your kitchen.
- Combines fresh blueberry filling with bright lemon zest for a balanced sweet-tart flavor.
- The crumble topping adds a satisfying crunch and buttery richness.
- Quick to prepare with no need for complicated dough-making techniques.
Ingredients
- Baking Mix: 375 g of versatile baking mix that creates a soft, tender pastry base for the danishes.
- Granulated Sugar: 38 g to lend mild sweetness to the dough without overpowering the fruit filling.
- Unsalted Butter: 85 g, softened to creamy perfection, adding richness to the dough’s texture.
- Milk: 240 ml to bring moisture that helps form a sticky, pliable dough for easy shaping.
- Lemon Zest (for dough): 2 tablespoons of finely grated lemon zest infusing fresh citrus aroma throughout the dough.
- Blueberry Pie Filling: 595 g of sweet and juicy blueberry filling providing a luscious, fruit-packed center.
- Plain Flour (for crumble topping): 16 g to give structure and bulk to the crumble topping.
- Quick Oats: 16 g added to the crumble topping to offer texture and a slight nuttiness.
- Cold Butter: 28 g for the crumble topping, kept cold to create a delicate, flaky crumb when baked.
- Lemon Zest (for crumble): 1 teaspoon to brighten the crumble with a hint of citrus tang.
- Powdered Sugar: 90 g, finely ground for making a smooth, sweet lemon glaze.
- Lemon Juice: 15 ml of freshly squeezed juice, added to the glaze for tartness balancing the sugar.
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets
Set your oven temperature to 230°C (446°F) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. This high heat allows the pastries to bake quickly, achieving a golden crust.
- Make the Danish Dough
In a large bowl, mix the baking mix, granulated sugar, and softened butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Then stir in the milk and lemon zest with a fork until the dough becomes sticky. This method creates tender, flaky pastry with a bright lemon flavor.
- Shape the Pastries
Spoon 6 portions of dough onto each baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Use the back of a spoon to gently press a well into each portion to hold the filling. This step ensures each pastry has a perfect center to contain the blueberry filling.
- Add Blueberry Filling
Evenly spoon the blueberry pie filling into the center wells of the dough. Distributing the filling carefully keeps the pastries intact and ensures each bite is bursting with fruit.
- Prepare and Add Crumble Topping
Combine the plain flour, quick oats, cold butter, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle this evenly over the filled pastries to add a buttery, crisp contrast.
- Bake the Danishes
Place the trays in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the pastries turn golden brown. The high temperature helps the crumble crisp up while the dough cooks evenly.
- Cool the Pastries
Remove the pastries and let them cool briefly on the trays so they set and firm up. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, which prevents sogginess and preserves texture.
- Prepare Lemon Glaze
Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. This glaze adds a glossy, tangy finish that complements the rich blueberry and crumb topping perfectly.
- Glaze and Serve
Drizzle the lemon glaze generously over cooled pastries just before serving. This final touch enhances both flavor and appearance, making them irresistible at any gathering.
- Use fresh blueberries if possible for a fresher, brighter flavor in your filling.
- Keep the butter cold when making the crumble topping to achieve the best flaky texture.
- Adjust the glaze sweetness by adding more or less powdered sugar to suit your taste.
Storage Tips
Store these pastries in a loosely sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 6 days, reheating gently before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these danishes warm with a cup of hot coffee or tea for a perfect breakfast or afternoon treat. They also pair wonderfully with a light dollop of whipped cream or vanilla yogurt.
- Use a fork or pastry blender to achieve coarse crumbs for the dough and crumble instead of a food processor.
- Let the dough rest briefly if too sticky before shaping to make handling easier.
- For extra shine, brush edges with a little milk before baking.
FAQs
- Can I use frozen blueberries instead of pie filling?
Yes, but reduce added sugar and consider thickening the filling with a bit of cornstarch to prevent sogginess.
- Can I prepare the dough in advance?
The dough is best used immediately due to its soft consistency, but can be refrigerated for a few hours if wrapped well.
- Is this recipe suitable for vegans?
No, it contains butter and milk. You could experiment with vegan butter and a substitute milk, but results may vary.
- How do I prevent the crumble topping from burning?
Keep an eye during the last minutes of baking and tent with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Can I freeze these danishes?
Yes, freeze unglazed danishes in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw before glazing and serving.
- What can I substitute for baking mix?
Use self-rising flour combined with baking powder and salt to mimic baking mix properties.
- How do I make the glaze thicker or thinner?
Adjust powdered sugar quantity for thickness and add lemon juice gradually for thinner glaze to achieve desired consistency.
Blueberry Lemon Danish
Equipment
- 3 baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- 1 large bowl
- 1 small bowl
- 1 wire rack
- 1 fork or pastry blender
Ingredients
- 3 cups baking mix about 375 g
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar about 38 g
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (about 85 g)
- 1 cup milk 240 ml
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 1/2 cups blueberry pie filling about 595 g
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour about 16 g for crumble
- 2 tablespoons quick oats about 16 g for crumble
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter about 28 g for crumble
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest for crumble
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar about 90 g for lemon glaze
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice 15 ml for lemon glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix baking mix, sugar, and softened butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Add milk and lemon zest, stirring with a fork until a sticky dough forms.
- Drop six spoonfuls of dough onto each baking sheet, spacing evenly, then press a well in the center of each with the back of a spoon.
- Fill each well with blueberry pie filling evenly.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, cold butter, and lemon zest for crumble topping; blend until crumbly.
- Sprinkle crumble topping over each pastry.
- Bake pastries for 10 minutes or until golden around the edges.
- Let pastries cool on baking sheets for several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth to create glaze.
- Drizzle lemon glaze over cooled pastries before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh blueberries for best flavor if possible.
- Keep butter cold during crumble mixing for optimal texture.
- Adjust lemon glaze sweetness to taste.
- Store pastries at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 6 days.
