Estonian Kringle
It’s not just that it seems like we haven’t published anything in ages — it’s actually true… almost three months without any blog action on PiC! The summer has been a bit hectic but here we are, back and loaded with new finger-licking recipes. Today I’m bringing you a recipe that could be considered the Nordic roscón de Reyes, and some say its shape is reminiscent of pretzels and the dough is brioche-style. In short, a sweet wonder we pulled from a Thermomix magazine but made without one to prove that any recipe is adaptable.
What do we need?
For the dough:
30 g (2 tbsp) sugar
The peel of 1/2 lemon (yellow part only)
120 g (1/2 cup) milk
30 g (2 tbsp) butter
15 g fresh yeast
1 egg yolk
300 g (2.5 cups) bread flour
**1 pinch of salt
For the filling:
50 g (3.5 tbsp) butter (room temperature)
60 g (1/4 cup) sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
50 g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts
For the glaze:
20 g egg white
50 g (1/2 cup) confectioners’ sugar
How do we make it?
If we have an electric coffee grinder or a food processor, we put the sugar with the lemon peel and grind it well until the lemon is incorporated into the sugar and we get a sort of paste. If we don’t have one, we can just grate the lemon peel and mix it with the sugar.
We heat the milk a little in the microwave and add it to the bowl with the sugar and lemon peel.
We add the butter and the yeast and stir until everything comes together nicely.
We add the egg yolk and mix well again.
Finally, we add the flour and the salt. We stir with a spoon or fork and then transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead by hand.
We form a ball with the dough and let it rest in the bowl covered with cling film until it doubles in size.
In the meantime, we prepare the filling. To do this, we mix the room-temperature butter with the sugar and the cinnamon.
We preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).
Once the dough has doubled in size, we place it on a floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until we have a rectangle of about 40 x 50 cm (16 x 20 in).
We spread the filling cream over it and sprinkle the walnuts on top.
We roll up the dough (starting from the wider side).
Once we have a sort of thin Swiss roll, we cut the log lengthwise down the middle, leaving one of the ends joined. When we cut it, we should see the alternating layers of dough and filling.
We cross each piece of dough to form a kind of braid (always keeping the layered side facing up).
Once everything is ‘braided’, we form a wreath and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
We bake for about 20 minutes.
While it’s baking, we prepare the glaze. To do this, we beat the egg whites a little with a fork and mix them with the confectioners’ sugar.
When we take the kringle out of the oven, we brush it with this glaze.
Tips:
The lemon peel is optional. You can skip it or swap it for orange peel — for sure it’ll be delicious too.
If you want a whiter, thicker glaze, you can beat the egg whites with the sugar using an electric whisk. That’s how we made it, and that’s why the glaze looks like it does in the photo. If you beat it just with a fork, it’ll give the kringle a certain shine but it won’t be white and as thick.
Starting from this base, you can fill the dough with other nuts or even jam.
[English version] ESTONIAN KRINGLE* *Ingredients: For the dough:
30 g sugar
1/2 lemon peel (only the yellow part)
120 g milk
30 g butter
15 g fresh yeast
1 egg yolk
300 g strength
1 pinch of salt
For the filling:
50 g de butter (room temperature)
60 g de sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
50 g chopped walnuts
For the icing:
20 g egg white
50 g confectioners’ sugar
If you have a coffee grinder or food processor, place the sugar and the lemon peel on it and grind it until getting a sort of paste. If you don’t have a grinder, just mix sugar with grated lemon peel.
Heat the milk in the microwave and pour over the sugar.
Add the butter and yeast and stir well.
Add egg yolk and stir well again.
Then, add flour and salt. Mix with a spoon and fork and then knead the dough on a floury surface.
Make a dough ball and leave to rise into the bowl covered with cling film (until the dough has doubled in volume).
In the meanwhile, prepare the filling. Mix butter (room temperature) with sugar and cinnamon.
Preheat oven at 180º.
When the dough has doubled in volume, place on a floury surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until getting a rectangle (40 x 50 cm aprox.)
Spread the filling and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
Roll up the dough (starting by the wider side).
Cut the log in half length-wise leaving one edge uncut.
Start braiding the two pieces, trying to keep the open layers exposed so the cut ends remain on top.
Pinch the ends together and form a wreath.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Prepare the icing. Whisk white eggs with a fork and add confectioners’ sugar. Mix well.
Out of the oven, brush the kringle with the sugar icing.
- *Tips: - Lemon peel is optional. You can leave it out or use orange peel. For sure, it will be delicious too. - If you want a thicker and whiter sugar icing you can use an electric mixer with whisk attachment. The result will be more similar to our kringle shown in the picture. If you whisk only with fork you will have a lighter and clearer icing. - You can change the filling and use any nuts or jam you like.