bakery style danish, raspberry custard danish

Bakery-Style Raspberry Custard Danish – Flaky, Creamy & Better Than the Bakery

There’s something undeniably comforting about walking into a bakery and seeing rows of golden pastries glistening behind the glass. The smell of butter, sugar, and warm dough hits you before you even order. Among all the choices, the raspberry custard Danish stands out every time—flaky layers, silky vanilla custard, and bright pops of tart raspberry jam. The good news? You don’t need a commercial kitchen or years of pastry school to recreate that magic at home.

This Bakery-Style Raspberry Custard Danish recipe delivers everything you love about a professional bakery pastry: crisp edges, soft centers, creamy filling, and bold fruit flavor. Using high-quality store-bought puff pastry keeps things approachable, while a homemade custard and raspberry layer gives it that unmistakable made-from-scratch taste.

Whether you’re baking for brunch, holiday mornings, or just because your kitchen deserves to smell amazing, this recipe will quickly become a favorite.

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Why This Raspberry Custard Danish Works

A great Danish has three things going for it: texture, flavor, and balance.

• The puff pastry provides light, flaky layers.
• The vanilla custard brings richness and creaminess.
• The raspberry filling adds brightness and a slight tang to cut the sweetness.

When these elements come together, you get a pastry that’s indulgent without being heavy and sweet without being cloying.

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Ingredients

For the Danish Pastry:

• 2 sheets puff pastry (thawed, but cold)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves or thick raspberry jam
• 1 egg (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon water
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
• Fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare
   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Make the Custard
   In a saucepan, heat milk over medium until just steaming.
   In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
   Slowly whisk hot milk into the egg mixture. Return everything to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until thick.
   Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool.
3. Prepare the Pastry
   Roll puff pastry slightly on a floured surface. Cut each sheet into 4 equal squares.
4. Shape the Danish
   Using a knife, score a 1/2-inch border inside each square. Prick the center lightly with a fork.
5. Fill the Centers
   Spoon about 1½ tablespoons of custard into the center of each pastry.
   Add 1 tablespoon raspberry preserves on top of the custard.
6. Egg Wash
   Whisk egg and water together. Brush edges of pastry lightly.
7. Bake
   Bake for 15–18 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
8. Cool & Finish
   Let cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.

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Tips for Bakery-Perfect Danish

• Keep puff pastry cold before baking.
• Don’t overfill—too much custard can spill.
• Use thick preserves, not runny jam.
• Let the custard cool before filling.

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Variations

• Blueberry Custard Danish – swap raspberry for blueberry preserves
• Strawberry Cream Danish – use strawberry jam and add lemon zest to custard
• Chocolate Raspberry Danish – add chocolate chips to custard layer

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Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with coffee or tea
• Perfect for brunch boards
• Great make-ahead breakfast pastry
• Ideal for holidays like Easter or Mother’s Day

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Fun Food Fact

Danish pastries aren’t actually from Denmark! They originated with Austrian bakers who introduced laminated dough techniques that Denmark later made famous.

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Storage & Make-Ahead

Store in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat in oven at 325°F for 5 minutes.