Puff Pastry Danish With Cherry (Chausson aux Cerises)

This puff pastry Danish with cherry made with reverse puff pastry is an elegant and delicious treat that combines delicate, flaky layers with a sweet and slightly tangy cherry filling. The rich buttery pastry bakes up beautifully crisp on the outside while remaining light and airy within, creating the perfect balance of texture and flavor in every bite.

The main difference between reverse puff pastry and traditional puff pastry lies in how the dough is assembled. In reverse puff pastry, the dough block is wrapped inside the butter block, while traditional puff pastry is made by enclosing the butter inside the dough. This reversed method creates an even flakier, more delicate pastry with exceptional lift and crispness once baked.

After baking until deeply golden and beautifully puffed, these cherry Danishes can be finished with a drizzle of icing or a light dusting of powdered sugar for the perfect bakery-style touch. The buttery pastry pairs wonderfully with the fruity cherry filling, making these pastries ideal for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or an afternoon coffee break. Served warm from the oven, they feel truly special while still being surprisingly rewarding to make at home. Their stunning layers and crisp texture make them absolutely irresistible for pastry lovers.

Ingredients

Dough  (for 9 danishes)

• 270g all purpose flour
• 90g melted butter 
• 112g water
• 3g vinegar 
• 10g salt

Butter block 

• 285g soft butter 
• 120g all purpose flour 

Filling

• cherry jam

Egg wash:

• 1 egg
• 1tbs milk

Directions

• For the dough: Mix all ingredients for the dough.
• Shape it as rectangular.
• For the butter block: Mix soft butter with flour. Spread it on parchment paper or plastic, creating rectangular twice bigger than dough block.
• Move both parts to fridge for 1 hours.

• Once the dough has chilled, you can proceed with lamination.
• Place dough block on one side of butter block, cover the dough with free part of butter block and deep the edges.
• Start rolling the dough lengthwise, about 20cm x 60cm / 7.8 inches x 23.6 inches), fold as as a book , by folding both sides to meet at the center, and then fold both sides again. Cover the dough and move to fridge for 1 hour.

• Remove dough from the fridge, roll 20cm x 60cm / 7.8 inches x 23.6 inches). Fold as a letter, by folding one part of the dough to cover 2/3 of the dough and then fold the other 1/3 of the dough over (so the dough will look as a letter).

• Cover the dough and let rest in fridge for 1 hour.
• Repeat one more of a book fold and a letter fold, with rests in the fridge for 1 hour in between.

• Roll final dough into rectangular 5 mm thin.
• Use sharp blade and pastry rings to cut 10mm circles. 

• Roll each circle into oval, the thickness should be 3 mm
• Place the filling into the middle of the oval.
• Spread water around the edges. Fold one side of the oval on top of another side.
• Use glass or something round to press and secure the filling inside the Danish.

• Make 3-4 cuts on one side of Danish, flip it over and place on parchment paper ( even uncut side up).
• Move danishes to freezer for 30 min.
• Spread 1 layer of egg wash on top, move to fridge for 20 min to dry up a little. Spread 2nd layer of egg wash.
• Using sharp knife or blade create patterns on top of each danish, make sure you don’t cut the dough all the way through ( this way the filling won’t come out).

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Bake Danishes for 25-27 min until golden.

Enjoy!

Puff Pastry Danish With Cherry (Chausson aux Cerises)

322kcal

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Prep 1 hour hr

Cook 27 minutes mins

Rise / Rest Time 5 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Total 7 hours hrs 17 minutes mins

A classic French style cherry turnover reimagined with a technically superior reversed (enversé) puff pastry. By enveloping the lean dough inside a flour-enriched butter block, the pastry bakes into an exceptionally light, crisp, and shatteringly flaky shell. Filled with sweet cherry jam and scored with elegant patterns, it’s a showstopping bakery treat.

Servings 9 large danishes

Cuisine French (Chausson style)

Ingredients

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The Dough Block (Detrempe)

• ▢ 270 g All-purpose flour
• ▢ 90 g Butter (melted)
• ▢ 112 g Water
• ▢ 3 g Vinegar
• ▢ 10 g Salt

The Butter Block (Beurrage)

• ▢ 285 g Butter (softened)
• ▢ 120 g All-purpose flour

The Filling & Assembly

• ▢ Sweet cherry jam or cherry compote (approx. 1 generous tbsp per pastry)
• ▢ Water (for sealing the edges)

Egg Wash

• ▢ 1 Whole egg
• ▢ 1 tbsp Milk

Equipment

• ▢
  Rolling Pin
• ▢
  Parchment Paper (For shaping the butter block and lining trays)
• ▢
  10mm Pastry Rings or Circle Cutter
• ▢
  Sharp Knife or Razor Blade (For detailed scoring)
• ▢
  Pastry Brush (For egg wash layers)

Method

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Step 1 – Preparing the Blocks

1. The Dough: Combine 270g flour, melted butter, water, vinegar, and salt. Mix until a cohesive dough forms. Shape it into a flat, compact rectangle.
2. The Butter Block: Mix the 285g of softened butter with 120g of flour until uniform. Spread this mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper, flattening it into a rectangle that is exactly twice as large as your dough block.
3. Initial Chill: Wrap both components and place them into the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

Step 2 – The Inverted Lamination

1. Encase: Place your chilled dough block directly onto one half of the large butter block rectangle. Fold the free side of the butter block over the top to completely encase the dough inside. Pinch the outer edges firmly to seal the dough within the butter wrapper.
2. Turn 1 (Book Fold): Roll the enclosed block out lengthwise into a long rectangle measuring roughly 20×60 cm (7.8×23.6 inches). Fold both outer ends inward so they meet precisely at the center, then fold the pastry in half again (like closing a book). Wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
3. Turn 2 (Letter Fold): Roll the dough out lengthwise again to 20×60 cm. Fold one third of the pastry over the center, then fold the remaining third over the top (like a classic three-layer letter fold). Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
4. Turns 3 & 4: Repeat one more full Book Fold, chill for 1 hour, and follow with one final Letter Fold. Chill the finished pastry block for a final 1 hour.

Step 3 – Shaping & Filling

1. Roll Thin: Roll the fully laminated dough out into a large rectangle exactly 5mm thick.
2. Cut Circles: Use a sharp pastry wheel or a 10mm pastry ring to stamp out circular discs.
3. Form Ovals: Use a rolling pin to gently stretch each circular disc lengthwise until it forms an oval roughly 3mm thin.
4. Fill & Seal: Dollop a generous tablespoon of cherry jam directly into the center of each oval. Lightly brush water around the exposed edges. Fold one half of the oval over the filling to meet the opposite edge. Press firmly with the rim of a glass or round cutter to crimp and secure the seam.
5. Slit & Freeze: Make 3 to 4 shallow cuts on one side of the pastry wrapper, then flip the turn-over completely over onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (so the uncut smooth side faces upward). Move the tray to the freezer for 30 minutes.

Step 4 – Glossing & Baking

1. Wash 1: Whisk the egg and milk together. Brush a thin, even layer of egg wash over the tops of the frozen pastries. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the wash to dry.
2. Wash 2 & Score: Apply a second layer of egg wash. Use the very tip of a sharp knife or razor blade to lightly score decorative curved line patterns on the top surface. Be careful not to cut all the way through the dough layer, or the jam will leak.
3. Bake: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the pastries for 25–27 minutes until the shells expand into countless flaky layers and turn a deep, uniform golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

Nutrition

Calories322kcalCarbohydrates68gProtein7gFat2gSaturated Fat1gPolyunsaturated Fat0.4gMonounsaturated Fat1gTrans Fat0.1gCholesterol20mgSodium391mgPotassium91mgFiber2gSugar18gVitamin A31IUVitamin C0.04mgCalcium101mgIron3mg

Notes

• Clarifying the Reversed Puff Pastry Illusion: If you feel confused while wrapping the blocks, don’t worry—your eyes aren’t tricking you! Traditional French puff pastry wraps a butter block inside a dough sheath. This reversed (inverted) method intentionally wraps the lean dough inside a flour-stabilized butter block. This creates less gluten resistance during rolling, preventing the pastry from shrinking and resulting in an incredibly crisp, ultra-flaky bake.
• Alternative Filling Ideas: While cherry jam or a thick cherry compote is the classic choice for a French Chausson, the reversed pastry base is incredibly versatile. You can easily substitute the fruit center with a sweetened cream cheese blend, Nutella, thick vanilla pastry cream, or almond frangipane paste.
• Why the Vinegar Matters: Adding a tiny splash (3g) of vinegar to the dough block serves a highly technical purpose. Lamination requires the dough to match the exact pliability of the butter layers. The acid in vinegar relaxes the gluten bonds, keeping the dough soft enough to stretch effortlessly without snapping or tearing the delicate fat sheets.
• The Importance of Double-Egg Washing: Allowing the first coat of egg wash to dry completely in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before applying the second coat is the secret to a high-end bakery finish. It creates a smooth, lacquered canvas that holds your scored patterns beautifully without letting them blur together or run in the oven’s heat.

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