Makes 42-44 pastries
3 envelopes active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1 c. very warm water
1/3 c. non fat dry milk powder
4 ½ c. flour
1 t. salt
¼ c. granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 t. grated orange rind
¼ t. ground cardamom
3 eggs
1 c. unsalted butter
3 T. flour
Sprinkle yeast and pinch of sugar into very warm
water in a large bowl. (Very warm water
should feel comfortably warm when dropped on wrist) Stir until dissolved. Let stand 10 minutes until frothy and
doubled in volume. Add dry milk, 1 cup
of the flour, salt, sugar, vanilla, orange rind and cardamom. Stir until mixture is well blended and
smooth. Add another cup of flour. Beat until blended. Add eggs, beating until well blended and
mixture is smooth. Add remaining flour,
½ cup at a time, until mixture is a shaggy mass and is too dense to stir. Lift the dough from the bowl and place on a
lightly floured surface. Knead dough
lightly adding additional flour if necessary, to prevent sticking. Do not knead as vigorously as bread
dough. Knead until smooth, soft and
elastic, about 5 minutes. Press dough
into a well greased bowl, turning to coat all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, refrigerate 1 hour while
preparing butter for layering. Place
the 2 sticks of butter 1 inch apart between two sheets of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll butter until it is
flattened. Using a sturdy metal
spatula, work 3 tablespoons flour into flattened butter, kneading until flour
is thoroughly absorbed. If butter
mixture softens, return briefly to refrigerator until firm again and proceed as
above. Place chilled dough on a lightly
floured surface. Using hands, shape
dough into a slightly flattened rectangle before rolling. Roll and shape dough into a rectangle, 24 x
8 inches, using additional flour, if necessary, to prevent sticking. Lightly score dough into 4 equal crosswise
portions. (do not cut through
dough). With spatula, spread 2/3 of the
butter mixture over the second and third sections evenly. Fold the two outside sections of dough in
over the butter meeting in the center.
Spread remaining butter over one side of the folded dough. Fold in half, like a book, enclosing the
butter completely. You will have 7
layers, dough, butter, dough, butter, etc.
Shape dough into an even rectangle.
Place in plastic bad and close securely. Chill in fridge for 1 hour.
Remove dough from plastic bag.
Place on a lightly floured surface.
Press dough down with hands shaping into a flattened rectangle. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a 24 x 8
inch rectangle. Fold ends in to meet in
center (12 x 8 inches), then fold in half, like a book to make 4 layers. (6 x8)
Place dough in plastic bag refrigerate 20 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding
procedure 3 more times. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour or longer. Note: It is possible to refrigerate dough
overnight, if necessary, to relax dough and firm up the butter layers. Dough
will rise a bit in refrigerator. The
dough is now ready to be formed into individual pastries.