Pineapple Danish

This is a moderately difficult recipe best saved for a day when one feels ambitious. The filling may be prepared ahead.

For the dough:

1 3/4 cup milk
2 packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups sifted all purpose flour

Heat milk to lukewarm. Do the same with water. Add yeast to water. Let stand a few minutes and then stir to dissolve. Add yeast to milk with sugar, 1/4 cup of the butter (melted) eggs, salt and cardamom and 2 cups of the flour. Beat well. Add remaininmg flour and knead until smooth adding more if too sticky. Place in a buttered bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch down and roll into a rectangle. Knead remaining cup of butter until smooth. Form into a flat square and place atop the dough, folding each side over it. Press edges to seal. Give dough a half-turn and repeat. Wrap dough in plastic and chill 15 minutes. Roll, fold and chill three more times being careful not to over-chill the butter as it will get hard and break through the dough.

Roll the dough out 1/8 inch thick and cut as desired (I did crescents as they are simple to manage). Fill and place on a greased cookie sheet. Chill at least two hours. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. (reducing it to 350 as soon as the tray is in oven). Brush pastry with a beaten egg and bake 15 minutes or until browned. Cool on racks.

Makes 2-3 dozen rolls depending on size

For the pineapple filling:

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Bring to a boil and cook one minute longer, stirring constantly. Chill before using.
*note-I used fresh pineapple because I had it on hand, but it didn't provide much juice so I also needed to boost it with tinned pineapple juice (a staple at our house anyway).