Cocktail Danish

Prepare the orange-infused brioche

All-purpose flour, 398g (3 1/4 cups + 1 T)
Salt, fine, 10g (1 3/4 t)
Yeast, dry instant, 10g (1 T)
Water, 36g (2 T + 1 1/2 t)
Eggs, large, 200g (4 large)
Orange zest, 8g (1 heaping T)
Sugar, 48g (1/4 cup)
Butter, unsalted, 199g (3/4 cup + 2 T or 14T)
Egg wash, 1 egg, whisked

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, salt, and yeast. Mix to combine.
Add the water, whole eggs, and orange zest and mix on low speed until the dough is fully homogenous, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom if necessary. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
While you wait, pound the chilled butter into flat pieces with a rolling pin, roughly 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.
After the rest period, add all the sugar and mix for 4 to 5 minutes on medium speed, making a smooth and elastic dough.
With the mixer running on medium low, add the butter in 5 to 6 stages. Allow each addition to incorporate before adding the next.
After all the butter is incorporated and the dough is smooth, place in a container and place in the fridge for 4 to 24 hours. During this time the dough will firm and develop flavor. It will also be easier to shape after chilling.

Prepare the whiskey pastry cream

Sugar, 99g (1/2 cup)
Cornstarch, 28g (1/4 cup)
Salt, fine, 1g (pinch)
Egg yolks, 72g (4 yolks)
Milk, 460g (2 cups + 2T)
Butter, unsalted, 28g (2T)
Orange zest, 4g (2t)
Whiskey, 28g (2T)

In a small bowl, combine and sift sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
In a medium bowl, stir the egg yolks with the vanilla. Add the cornstarch mixture, then whisk until smooth (for best results, sift the cornstarch).

Cook:
In a medium sized pot bring the milk to a simmer.
Whisk 1 cup of the milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Whisk until fully combined. Continue to whisk, and add the egg mixture into the warm milk.
Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens, about a minute or two.
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the butter, whiskey, and zest, stirring until the butter melts. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until use. Whisk briefly before use.
For the smoothest pastry cream you may strain it immediately after it sets. I rarely bother.
Pastry cream will keep for 3 to 4 days, chilled.

Prepare the streusel

Sugar, 30g (2.5T)
Butter, unsalted, soft, 30g (2T + 1/2t)
All-purpose flour, 30g (1/4 cup)
Rye flour, 30g (1/4 cup)
Salt, 1g (pinch)

In a medium bowl combine the sugar and butter, stirring until smooth.
Add the flours. and salt, mixing by hand or with a fork to a cornmeal consistency. A handful squeezed together will clump slightly. The ideal streusel is a mixture of two textures, some fine, like cornmeal, and some larger, marble-sized lumps.
Chill until use. Any left over streusel can be frozen in a plastic bag for up to two months and can be used on muffins, fruit crumbles and a variety of other baked goods.

Roll the danish

Roll the cold dough into a rectangle, roughly 10" by 20". Cut into squares, 5" by 5" each, or, shape as desired. I like diamonds. Benny’s video has a very good demo of this shape at the 6:30 mark (be sure to check out his channel!).
Place on parchment-lined half sheet trays, 4 pieces per tray.

Cover and proof the danish for 1 to 2 hours or, until puffy and “marshallowy.” Towards the end of proof preheat the oven to 400 F.

Prepare the whiskey glaze

While the danish bakes, prepare the glaze.

Brown sugar, 37g (2.5T)
Whiskey, 37g (2.5T)

Stir together the whiskey and sugar in a glass bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring occasionally. The syrup is ready when it's the consistency of heavy cream.

Fill and bake the danish

24 to 32 Luxardo or best quality cocktail cherries
Orange peel, candied, 40g (1/4 cup)
Streusel, (recipe above)
Pastry cream, (recipe above)

Egg wash each danish.

Fill each shape in the following order: 2 T of pastry cream, 3 - 4 cocktail cherries, 1 - 2 t of minced candied orange peel, 2 T of streusel. *Optionally add a drizzle of cherry juice before the streusel.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or, until golden brown.

Glaze and dust the danish

Remove and immediately brush the pastry portion (avoiding the streusel) with the whiskey glaze.
Set the danish to cool for 10 minutes then dust the center (the streusel portion only) with confectioners sugar using a sieve.
Garnish with additional minced orange peel and enjoy. These are best eaten when the pastry cream is still warm!