Danish Pastry

Mix the bread flour, milk, sugar, and instant yeast until the dough is smooth and elastic, then let it complete its first rise until visibly puffy. If the dough feels warm or sticky, chill it briefly before beginning the butter work. Flatten 180g cold butter into an even slab that feels slightly firmer than the dough. When it cracks under light pressure, give it a short rest until it can bend and roll without breaking into pieces. Wrap the dough completely around the butter, roll the packet into a long sheet, and fold it. Complete 3 folds in total, refrigerating between the turns so the butter remains a distinct layer inside the dough. Roll the chilled laminated dough evenly and cut it into 8 squares. Press a shallow well in the center of each piece while leaving the exposed edges uncompressed, since those edges need room to lift. Divide 180g pastry cream among the wells and keep the filling gathered in the centers. Return the shaped pieces to the refrigerator if the dough softens. At 190°C, the baking takes 16 to 18 minutes. Remove the pastries when the layers have opened, the surface is deep golden, and the cream looks set and glossy. Let the pieces cool slightly before moving them so the raised borders and warm custard centers stay in place.