Kringle

Ingredients

• 1⅛ lbwheat flourfor the dough, plus a little for rolling out
• 1¾ ozfresh yeastfresh; alternatively about 20–25 g dried yeast
• 1 cupmilkfor the dough, lukewarm; cultured milk or water also possible
• 6⅓ ozbutterfor the dough, melted or softened; margarine also works
• 1¾ ozsugarfor the dough
• 2eggfor the dough
• 1 tspsaltfor the dough
• 1 tspcardamomground, for the dough
• 7 ozbuttersoftened, for the remonce filling
• 7 ozsugarfor the remonce filling
• 3½ ozmarzipanfor the filling, beaten with butter and sugar
• 2⅛ ozraisinsfor the filling
• 1 tbspcinnamonground, mixed into the remonce (optional)
• 2 cupsmilkfor the vanilla custard
• 3egg yolkfor the vanilla custard
• 1¾ ozsugarfor the vanilla custard
• 1 ozcornstarchto thicken the vanilla custard
• 1vanillaseeds scraped out, for the vanilla custard
• 1eggbeaten, for brushing
• 2 tbsppearl sugarfor sprinkling
• 2 tbspalmondsfor sprinkling

Method

1. Dissolve the yeastGently warm the milk and butter together until lukewarm, no hotter than about 95 °F, then dissolve the yeast in it.
2. Knead and prove the doughMix the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom, add the yeast mixture and the eggs, and knead for 8–10 minutes into a smooth, supple dough. Cover and leave to rise for 30–45 minutes, until almost doubled in size.
3. Cook the vanilla custardFor the vanilla custard, whisk the cornstarch with a little of the whole milk until smooth. Add the vanilla seeds, sugar, egg yolks and the rest of the whole milk, then heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Set aside to cool.
4. Make the remonceFor the remonce, beat the softened butter, sugar and marzipan until creamy, stir in the cinnamon if using, and fold in the raisins.
5. Roll out the doughOn a floured surface, roll the dough out into a long rectangle of about 25 × 70–80 cm.
6. Fill and roll upSpread the remonce and vanilla custard over the dough, or lay them along it in a strip, then roll the dough up lengthwise into a long log.
7. Shape and prove the kringlePlace the log on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and shape it into a kringle. Overlap the ends and seal them well so nothing leaks out during baking. Cover and leave to rise again for 20–45 minutes.
8. Glaze and add toppingsBrush the kringle with beaten egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar and flaked almonds.
9. Bake and coolBake at about 180–390 °F for 15–20 minutes until golden brown, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Tips and variations

Instead of remonce, try a macaroon filling of toasted almonds blended finely with brown sugar and egg white; in that case, roll the dough in from both sides toward the middle and pipe the vanilla custard into the pockets after the second rise. Another version shapes four filled bars instead of one large kringle, each carrying three fillings side by side: remonce with cinnamon, vanilla custard, and kransekage paste of almonds, sugar, egg white and marzipan with crumbled macaroons. Flaked hazelnuts can replace the almonds. The dough can also be made with water and margarine instead of milk and butter. Unbaked kringles can be frozen. A simpler dough uses dried yeast and cultured milk instead of fresh yeast and milk and leaves out the eggs. Shaped as a square or a large heart and dusted with powdered sugar, the kringle becomes the centerpiece of the fika table.