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4 days ago
13
Kringles are a kind of pastry that’s synonymous with my home town of Racine, Wisconsin. Originally introduced by Danish immigrants in the late 19th century, they’re essentially a big ring of flaky Viennese pastry filled with fruit or nuts, then iced and served in little slices. Even bad kringles are pretty delicious, and when out-of-towners try them for the first time, their reaction is usually: ”Where has this been all my life?”
We eat kringles year-round, but I mainly associate them with fall, perhaps because of their common autumnal fillings such as apple or cranberry, or perhaps because of the sense of hygge they provide. I also associate kringles with Thanksgiving – and with uncles. And I don’t think it’s just me; Racine’s biggest kringle baker, O&H Danish Bakery, operates a cafe/shop called “Danish Uncle”. But I also think of Thanksgiving as the most uncle-y American holiday, geared towards watching football and snoozing on the couch.
On Thanksgiving, you get together with your uncles (who all have strong, reliable uncle names such as Steve, Bob and Mike), and you talk about kringles, because you can’t talk about feelings or politics. Kringles are naturally convivial and conversational; Racinians will never eat kringle without debating the merits of various local bakeries (for the record: I’m a Bendtsen’s man until I die). Maybe the conversation never gets that deep with your uncles; maybe you can’t tell them that you love them, or even give them a hug that isn’t unnatural and awkward. But that’s OK, you can give them kringle instead.
Cherry marzipan kringle
Serves 8-10
220g lukewarm milk
25g caster sugar
7g sachet dried yeast
1 tsp salt
200g strong white bread flour
160g plain flour
40g plain wholemeal flour
200g cold unsalted butter
230g marzipan
100g sour cherry jam or compote
Beaten egg, to glaze
Icing sugar
In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm milk, caster sugar, dried yeast, and a teaspoon of salt, then whisk to dissolve the ingredients into the milk.
In a second bowl, mix the flours. Tip the flours into the milk mix, then stir with a spatula until everything comes together into a dough. Knead in the bowl until the dough has an even texture, without any dry or sticky patches, then cover loosely and leave to prove for one hour.
Make a butter block by cutting the cold butter into 12 slices, then tiling them into a rectangle along a length of baking paper, two by six slices of butter across. Fold the paper over the top of the butter like an envelope, then use a rolling pin to flatten the butter and press the edges of each slice together, to make a thin, solid block about 14cm x 32cm. Keep the butter wrapped in the paper, and transfer to the fridge.
Roll the risen dough into a large roughly 16cm x 70cm rectangle. Peel the paper off the butter block, then put the butter block in the centre of the dough. Fold the sides of the pastry up over the top and press down on the edges to enclose the butter. Fold the dough in by thirds (like you would a letter) to make three layers of butter, then put in a container and chill for 30 minutes.
Rotate the dough into a landscape position, then roll it into a 30cm x 20cm rectangle. Fold into thirds again, then return to the fridge for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process once more, chilling again for 30 minutes.
Cut the marzipan into thin slices about 2mm thick. Cut the dough lengthways into two long rectangles, then roll each piece to 16cm x 70cm. Spoon the cherry jam or compote in a line down the centre of the dough, then lay half of the marzipan in a single layer on top of the jam. Fold the far edge of dough towards you and over the filling, and then fold the near edge of dough over the top of that, and pinch to seal. Curl the line of dough round to make a ring, tucking one end into the other. Repeat the process to make a second kringle.
Carefully transfer the rings to two trays lined with baking paper, brush the surface of each with beaten egg, then bake at 210C (190C fan)/410F/gas 6½ for 22 minutes, until well browned. Leave to cool, then flatten each kringle by laying another tray on to the surface and pressing down firmly. Drizzle with thick icing made with icing sugar and water, and leave to set before slicing and serving.
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Tim Anderson is the author of the 24 Hour Pancake People newsletter and Hokkaido: Recipes from the Seas, Fields and Farmlands of Northern Japan, published by Hardie Grant at £28. To order a copy for £25.20, go to guardianbookshop.com. Rachel Roddy is away.
