DOUGH:
2 pk Active dry yeast
1/2 c Water; warm (105-115 F)
1/4 c Undiluted evaporated milk;
-room temperature
1 ts Freshly ground cardamom
1/4 c Sugar
3 lg Egg yolks
1 c Whipping cream
3 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Salt
3/4 c Unsalted butter; chilled,
-cut into pieces
NUT FILLING:
1 c Almond paste
1 c Almonds, pecans, or
-walnuts; finely chopped
1/2 c Confectioner's sugar
1 lg Egg white
1 ts Almond extract
GLAZE and TOPPING:
1 lg Egg white; lightly beaten
Pearl sugar; coarse crushed
Sugar cubes or granulated
Sugar for sprinkling
Sliced almonds or chopped
-walnuts or pecans,
-for sprinkling
Make the dough. In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm
water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the milk, cardamom, sugar,
egg yolks, and whipping cream and blend well; set aside. In a
large bowl, or in the work bowl of a food processor with the steel
blade in place, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the butter
until the pieces are the size of small kidney beans. If using a
food processor, turn into a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture,
mixing only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover with
plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Meanwhile prepare the filling of your choice. To make the nut
filling, in a bowl with an electric mixer or a food processor
break the almond paste into pieces and blend with the nuts,
confectioners' sugar, egg white, and almond extract until well
mixed. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, turn out onto
lightly floured surface, and dust the dough lightly with flour.
Using a rolling pin, pound the dough until smooth and about 1/2
inch thick. Roll out to make a 24 inch square. Fold the dough
into thirds to make a long and narrow strip. With the rolling pin,
roll again until about 1/4 inch thick and about 36 inches long and
8 inches wide. Spread the filling in a 3 inch strip down the
length of the dough.
Overlap the edges of the dough to enclose the filling; pinch the ends
to seal. Brush with the egg white to seal the ends and the seam.
Brush the entire roll with egg white and coat generously with sugar
and nuts on all sides. Lightly grease and flour a baking sheet, or
cover with parchment paper. To make the kringle shape, place the roll
on a the baking sheet in the shape of a large pretzel. To do this,
place the baking sheet horizontally in front of you. Lift the filled
roll from both ends firmly and center the middle of the roll onto the
baking sheet as if you were forming a circle. Pull the ends of the
roll so that they make a cross above the roll, then pull the ends
down and tuck the ends under the top part of the roll so that the
ends stick out from under the roll.
For the horseshoe shapes, cut the filled strip crosswise at the
center point to make two strips. Place on two prepared baking
sheets and form each strip into a horseshoe. Seal the ends of each
horseshoe. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with the sugar
and nuts. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. It
will not double. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Brush the kringle again
with the egg white and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.
Cool on a wire rack.
Recipe by Great Holiday Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas
