Kringle
Ingredients
- 4 cups unbleached flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened slightly
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk heated to between 105 and 130 degrees
- Pecan Filling:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
- Almond Filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 can (8 oz) almond filling
- 1/4 cup milk
- Cherry Filling:
- 1 can (16 oz) red tart pitted cherries in juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- Sugar Icing:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl, blend flour, sugar and salt on low speed of an electric mixer. Add butter and cut in, using low speed.
- In small bowl, beat egg yolks lightly. Add yolks and yeast to milk; stir to dissolve yeast; add mixture to dough. Mix on low speed until soft dough forms. Do not overbeat. Put dough in clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours. (Dough will not rise in bowl.)
- Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Return 3 parts to bowl, cover and refrigerate while working with 1 part. On lightly floured board roll dough into 8 by 20 inch rectangle. Turn dough so 8 inch end is in front of you. Spread filling of your choice down center 3 inches of dough to within an inch of each 8 inch end.
- In a grease-free bowl, beat egg whites with spotless beaters on low speed until foamy. Then increase speed and beat until whites hold stiff peaks. Don't overbeat or whites will form clumps and be dry.
- Spread 1/4 of whites over kringle filling. Fold over one side of dough, then the other so that there is 1 1/2 inch overlap of doughs covering filling. Pinch dough together at seam to seal down length of dough and at both ends.
- Gently place kringle seam-side down on baking sheet, shaping into oval or horseshoe shape. Prick in several places with fork. Roll, fill and shape remaining 3 kringles; cover each with towel and let rise 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake each kringle individually 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Prepare sugar icing while kringles bake. While kringles are hot, gently press tops with hot pad to expel trapped air. Spread with sugar icing while hot.
- Pecan filling...In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Spread on 2 kringle doughs.
- Almond filling...In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in almond filling and mix until smooth. Enough for 4 kringles.
- Cherry filling...Drain juice from cherries to make about 3/4 cup. Add juice (reserving cherries) to 1 quart saucepan with sugar, salt and cornstarch; set aside 15 minutes. Place over medium heat; stir constantly while bringing to boil. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; stir in almond extract and cherries; cool. Enough for 2 kringles.
- Sugar icing...In mixing bowl beat all ingredients to form thin icing. Enough for 4 kringles.
