Cooking Lesson #268: A Tale of Two Kringles

Danish vs. Wisconsin Kringle

How you doin’? In some of my blogs we talk about the origins of food. Today we are going to discuss the geographic differences in the recipes themselves. Let’s take for example Kringle vs Kringle—one from Wisconsin and the other from Denmark.
 
The first recipe is from my friend Birget’s grandmother who was born and raised in Aarhus, Denmark on the Jutland peninsula’s east coast. I was there at Christmas several years ago and enjoyed the 12 days with amazing Danish food. A Danish Kringle is a special holiday pastry treat that is both beautiful and delicious—but it is also a wonderful everyday treat. You might want to plan ahead and make your dough at least 1 to 2 days in advance. It's simple—it takes just a few minutes to prepare and refrigerate. Allow enough time to do it right.
 
Did you know the shape of a Kringle (pretzel-shaped) in Denmark is the Danish sign for a bakery (hence the name Kringle)? Outside every bakery in Denmark, you will find a sign with a Kringle on it. A Kringle is not only the dough, as it can be made of different types of dough, but the place to buy it.
 
Prep time:  45 minutes
Additional time:  at least 8 hours dough resting and cooling time
Bake time:  30 minutes
Yield:  3 braids / 12 servings
 
Ingredients
For the pastry
1 cup unsalted European-style butter
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
 
For the filling
1 cup European-style butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1-1/2 cups roasted and chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
 
For the icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons water
 
Directions
To make the pastry

1. In a large bowl, cut 1 cup butter into flour until crumbly, leaving pea-sized chunks. Stir in sour cream and mix well; dough will be very sticky.
2. Form dough into a ball. Cover tightly, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.

To make the filling

1. Combine butter, brown sugar and 1 cup of chopped nuts.

To assemble the pastry and bake

1. Preheat an oven to 375⁰ F.
2. Lightly grease a sheet pan.
3. Divide dough into three equal parts; return two parts to the refrigerator to keep cold.
4. Quickly form the first part of the dough into a rectangle, and flour lightly.
5. On a heavily floured surface, roll out to approximately 12x17 inches. Position lengthwise on the work surface.
6. Along both long edges of the dough rectangle, use a sharp knife to cut 4-inch long angled lines about 1/2 inch apart, leaving an uncut patch in the center running the length of the dough.
7. Spoon 1/3 of the filling down the length of the rectangle's uncut center.
8. Alternating from one side of the dough to the other, fold each 1/2 inch wide strip towards the center, crisscrossing the filling in a braid-like fashion.
9. Lightly press together the ends of the strips to seal.
10. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining nuts.
11. Repeat with remaining ingredients to form 3 braided danishes. Arrange danishes on prepared baking sheet.
12. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
13. Cool for approximately 30 minutes.
14. While the danishes are cooling, prepare the icing: mix confectioners’ sugar and water until very smooth.
15. Drizzle in fine streams over warm danishes.

ChefSecret:  Why use sour cream? In terms of baking chemistry, sour cream is a powerhouse combo of acid and fat. In fact, it's one of the fattiest dairy products you can use in your baking. Both elements of sour cream's character make it a truly special (not to mention, hardworking) ingredient in your ingredient arsenal.

                                                       Wisconsin Kringle
 
This American Kringle recipe is a classic yeast-raised pastry that originated in Wisconsin by the many newly arrived German immigrants who settled in the area. It differs from the Danish version with its flaky, buttery crust and sweet filling that is made with almond paste. Kringles are best served within a day or two of baking. Drizzle or spread the icing on them about a half an hour before serving. 

Prep time:  1 hour
Chill/Proof time:  5 hours
Bake time:  25-30 minutes
Yield:  10 servings
 
Ingredients
For the dough
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup cold whole milk
1 large cold egg
 
For the filling
3/4 cup almond paste, softened
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup (from about 2 large eggs) egg whites, well-beaten
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
 
For the icing
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 teaspoons water (more if needed)
 
Directions
To prepare the pastry dough

1. In the bowl of a food processor combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Pulse a few times to blend.
2. Add the butter cubes and pulse 10 times, or until butter chunks begin to break down by about half.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and egg.
4. Scrape the flour mixture into the medium bowl and using a flexible spatula stir together until nearly all the flour is moistened.
5. Using your hand quickly knead the dough to bring it together.
6. Transfer dough to a work surface, pat into a rectangle, and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours and up to 2 days.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough into a roughly 8x15-inch rectangle. Fold the two short sides of the rectangle toward the center, folding the rectangle into thirds, like a letter. Rotate dough 90 degrees, then roll out again into an 8x15-inch rectangle, fold into thirds again.
8. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
9. Roll the dough out into an 8x15-inch rectangle, fold into thirds, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes two more times. At this point, wrapped dough can be kept in the refrigerator up to 3 days, or freezer for 2 months.

To make the filling

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the almond paste, butter, confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of the egg whites and the salt.
2. Beat to combine, then beat in lemon juice, adding more to taste.

To make the pastry

1. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Unwrap the dough and cut in half.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each half into a 6x24-inch rectangle.
4. Spread 1/2-cup filling on each in an even strip down the center (about 2-1/2-inches wide).
5. Fold one long side over the filling, leaving the remaining third of the dough exposed.
6. Using a pastry brush, brush the unfilled portion of dough with reserved egg whites on both the long side and two short ends.
7. Fold the second long side over the first; pinch and press the seam tightly along the length and at both short ends, sinking your fingertips into the pastry to create a tight seal.
8. Remeasure dough to make sure it’s at least 24 inches long; if necessary, stretch it back out.
9. Form into an oval, then tuck one end into the other. Pinch and press the seam together, then transfer oval pastry to the prepared sheet pans and flip over so it’s seam-side down.
10. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
11. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 30 to 45 minutes, or until slightly puffy.
12. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375⁰ F.
13. Brush the pastry with more egg white, then bake until golden, about 25 minutes, rotating sheet pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through.
14. As soon as the pastries come out of the oven, and the pastries are piping hot, press each pastry slightly by using the sheet pan with the other pastry on it, setting the sheet pan on top of the pastry and pressing gently to eliminate any air pockets between the pastry and filling.
15. Transfer the sheet pans to wire racks and allow pastries to cool completely.

To prepare the icing

1. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and 4 teaspoons water (more if you need it to make it drizzly).
2. Drizzle the icing over the pastry.

ChefSecret:  Take the Kringle up a notch by sprinkling the icing with 1/4-cup of toasted slivered almonds.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “How did the health experts lie? They said a mask and gloves was enough to go to the grocery store. When I got there, everyone else had clothes on. I was so embarrassed!”
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