Scandinavian Kringler

Someone used to bring this pastry to work for everyone to share.  Scandinavian Kringler.  These 2 words are a mouthful to say so early on a Monday morning.  At 7 a.m., I'm still working on lifing my eyelids without the help of my eyebrows.  Lift eyelids.  Chew.  Repeat.  I let my morning cup of coffee serve as a catalyst for the process. 

I didn't think about breakfast until I started writing this post. But it looks like plenty of people have already written about breakfasts around the world.  Scandinavian Kringler is by no stretch of the imagination anything nutritious, but it's amazing what we, Americans, start our day with.  I see Oreo cereal at the grocery store, and you know that is what other countries think of us, summed up in a cardboard box.  Some of us are guilty of having the worst breakfast: No breakfast at all. Ahem *Moi*.

But, i'm not feeling bad about it.  I think about the foods I'm not eating to shed the inner dialogue guilt (which makes itself known in the familiar voice of my mother).  A kolache is just the first cousin of a twinkie. A croissant is a butter sandwich. A cinnamon roll is an organized mess of sugar, butter/shortening, topped with another kind of sugar and another kind of shortening.  That's why they call it shortening - it truncates your life. 

But if you are up for pastry roulette, this pastry is the way to go.  Think of it as a plug for your cardiac muscle.

...but it's soooooooooo good!

Scandinavian Kringler

(adapted from a printed recipe - no original source identified)

Consume cautiously.  You will have more than you planned on having. 

This is a really weird recipe.  At some point, it just looks like mashed potatoes.  Just follow it the best you can.  It will turn out...great!

The flaky crust, cream puff layer and almond  frosting combine for an outstanding pastry.  Do not make too far in advance.  The night before is fine...no sooner though.

Ingredients

· 1 cup flour

· 1/2 cup butter, softened

· 1 tablespoon water

· 1/2 cup butter

· 1 cup water

· 1 cup flour

· 3 eggs

· 1 teaspoon almond extract

· Almond-Butter Frosting (recipe below)

· toasted sliced almonds

Directions

Combine flour and butter with pastry blender; add 1 tablespoon water and blend to make pastry. Divide into 3 parts, pat each third into  3 oblong ovals on ungreased baking sheets. (Use 1 baking sheet, placing ovals widthwise) Refrigerate. Combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water in saucepan; bring to boiling. (I know, weird, right?)  Remove from heat; add flour and stir until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is smooth. (Should resemble smooth mashed potatoes) Blend in extract and spread dough over unbaked pastry strips. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until top is crips and golden (50-55 minutes). Cool. (The top will settle and form a custard over pastry.) Before serving, spread with Almond Frosting. Sprinkle with nuts. Cool slightly.
To Serve: Cut into diagonal strips; serve warm or cold.

Amount: 2-2 1/2 dozen

Almond Frosting: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and 1-1/2 tablespoons milk until smooth and of spreading consistency

(Frosting tip: Dip a small spoon or short cheese knife/spreader in the frosting and immediately drizzle pastry in a zigzag motion.  Have fun with it!)