10.31.2011

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!)   

21 comments:

  1. Those kringler look fantastic and ever so delicious! What a divine treat. I really have to make it soon...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I love the look and sound of this! Would love to have this for breakfast.

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  3. looks like a perfect, delicious breakfast to me! (with my coffee, of course!) :-)

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  4. Looks delicious! I was thinking about making pain au chocolat in the near future, but this may be next:) Yummy!

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  5. Sign me up... anything with a 2:1 flour to butter ratio works in my book : ) That and a double espresso and I'm ready to go for the day. Looks really pretty too. Definitely an interesting technique with the two separate doughs.

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  6. This looks like a fabulous treat! What a delicious breakfast :D

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  7. This looks sooooooo good! I'm not a big fan of sweet breakfasts but I'd happily eat this throughout the rest of the day. :)

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  8. I have a weakness for any pastry with almonds. That is a fantastic photo! I am licking my screen. Not as tasty as it looks.

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  9. rosa & xiaolu - it's so indulgent...more than you would think but so worth it! and so easy!

    valentina - coffee is a must

    sarah - i need to get tips from you on sweet treats. you are def. a go-getting and making more use of your stand mixer than I am

    michael! - so glad to see you here! thanks for the comment.

    jennifer - thanks!

    eatme d. - i agree...not a fan of sweets in the morning either, but tthis one is an exception...

    lentil - lol!

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  10. These are absolutely amazing! I've been looking for a pastry recipe similar to this and only change I made was to add more almond extract and 1/3 c sugar to egg filling
    This recipe made my weekend��!!! Thank you from a Norwegian girl in Southern California,,

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    1. I just copied the recipe & will add the sugar & more extract to the egg filling. I see there is no evidence of sugar in the recipe except for the frosting that is drizzled.Thanks for the tip.

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  11. My Mother used to make this! We lost the recipe after she passed away. I am so grateful. Thank you for posting this.

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  12. Oh man sprinkle cinnamon on the bottom layer after you refrigerate it, add a bit to the custard, and add to the frosting to taste and it is so good. I also sprinkled a little on with the almonds

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  13. I'm 75 and my mother used to make kringle for Christmas breakfast every year until she died. My sister and I still talk about it.

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  14. Hint: Try spreading a thin layer of raspberry jam on the bottom crust prior to topping it with the puff pastry. Delicious!

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  15. I couldn’t get the bottom layer to come together with only 1 T. water. I probably added 2 T. I think I’ll add sugar and cinnamon to the custard layer next time. Thanks for the recipe.

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  16. This was a standard Christmas treat in my home as a child - it never lasted very long.

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  17. These are so good. I used to make them
    Quite often, but somehow lost the recipe
    Im so glad I found this. I have some in the
    Oven now. So excited. Thank you!

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  18. These were delicious! I made them gluten free and was very surprised by how well they turned out. I think the base was a bit crumbly but that’s an easy fix. I also added the sugar like said above.

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    1. Next time try a Kringle recipe where you cook the flour first. I cup water, 1/2 cup butter. Boil then add cup flour and a dash of salt.Stir til it forms a ball, remove from heat and cool 2-3 minutes. Beat in 4 room temp eggs. Look for that recipe and the baking instructions.

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  19. Also known as "Danish Puff" from 1988.

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