Danish pastry differs from croissant and puff pastry in one key way: the dough contains yeast, creating a hybrid that's both laminated and leavened. The standard four-turn method creates approximately 81 butter layers (3⁴), enough for flaky distinction without becoming too delicate to handle filled pastries. Each turn requires proper resting (30 minutes minimum) to relax gluten and re-chill butter—rushing creates tough, elastic dough that springs back and butter that melts into the layers rather than keeping them separate. The butter block must stay cold but pliable: too cold and it shatters during rolling, too warm and it absorbs into the dough. Visual cues matter: properly proofed Danish shows distinct layers before baking, and finished pastries should have visible honeycomb lamination at the cut edges.