In Copenhagen and beyond, an innovative group of chefs-turned-bakers are taking Danish pastries in thrilling and sustainable new directions - while drawing legions of adoring fans
It’s made purely from leftovers, but that hasn’t stopped the Lemon Wave becoming one of the most popular pastries at recently opened Collective Bakery in Copenhagen’s Nørrebro district. Leftover croissant trimmings are put on a wooden skewer and proofed, giving the pastry its signature wavy shape. Then, the lemon wave is glazed with a syrup made with the skins of organic Sicilian lemons, cooked into a tea, and reduced with sugar into a sticky glaze. The result is a buttery, flaky pastry with a burnished surface and a seductive, heady aroma.
Minimising waste, it turns out, can be tasty. And while the Lemon Wave is a great pastry, it also serves as an example of how Copenhagen’s plethora of new bakeries are being driven for- ward by innovative foreign chefs from the city’s best restaurants. Collective Bakery’s Glasgow-born head baker Michael Craig worked at restaurants across Europe, including three years at Copenhagen’s Amass – a trailblazing restaurant and a world leader in gastronomic sustainability, deftly incorporating byproducts such as spent coffee grains, kale stems and surplus bread into a forward-thinking menu.
The 'Berry Spandeur' is Collective Bakery's take on a classic Danish pastry. Photo: Nikolaj Didriksen