Kringle All the Way

One of our Christmas Traditions is warming a Danish Kringle from O&H Bakery in Wisconsin to have with coffee while we hang out by the fire and open presents under the tree. This year, we thought, why not make one ourselves? Don’t be intimidated by the three-day process, the results are well worth it and this recipe makes TWO Kringles (they freeze wonderfully). Here’s how to make it!

Pecan Kringle

Kringle Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 package yeast

• 1/4 cup warm water

• 1/4 cup warm milk

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1 egg, beaten

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• fleur de sel

Icing Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 tablespoons whole milk

Recipe

*This recipe is a three-day process, so plan accordingly. 

1. Spread the softened butter on an 8″ x 16″ piece of wax paper. Refrigerate until chilled.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, salt and egg.

3. Add flour to the mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand, or in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator.

4. Once chilled, roll the dough into an 8″ x 12″ rectangle. Cut the sheet of butter in half into two 8″ x 8″ sheets and lay one of the sheets over two-thirds of your 8″ x 12″ rectangle. Return the other sheet of butter to the refrigerator.

5. Fold the third of your dough without butter over onto the buttered portion, then fold one-third of the buttered portion on top of that, folding like a letter. Cover in plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator overnight.

6. Roll the chilled dough into an 8″ x 12″ rectangle again. Place the other sheet of chilled butter on top again and fold as you did in step 5. Cover and refrigerate again overnight.

7. Roll the dough into an 8″ x 16″ rectangle and fold in thirds like a letter. Cover and place in the refrigerator again until chilled.

8. Cut the dough in half (width-wise) and place each half onto its own piece of parchment (measured to fit your baking sheet). Roll each half into a 6″ x 20″ rectangle on the parchment.

9. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

10. Mix all the filling ingredients together and spread half of the mixture down the middle of each rectangle. Sprinkle fleur de sel down each strip of filling.

11. With wet fingers, seal the dough around the filling forming a tube. Form an oval with the dough and again with wet fingers, seal the two ends together. Flip the oval over on the parchment to hide the seams. Gently flatten the oval on the parchment, all the way around.

12. Transfer the Kringles with their parchment to baking sheets. (Cover and refrigerate one of the Kringles while the first is baking.) Bake each Kringle for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

13. Mix the icing ingredients together until smooth. Once cooled, spread half onto each Kringle.