Danish Kringle Recipe
Named Wisconsin's "official state pastry" in 2013, the whimsical-sounding kringle is one of the Midwest's most iconic treats. With flaky, buttery layers wrapped around a sweet filling and finished with a simple glaze, it's easy to see why this Americanized version of a Danish pastry has such a devoted following.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (141g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (141g) bread flour
- 3 Tablespoons (40g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (227g) cold salted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup cold sour cream
- 1 large egg white beaten
Almond Filling
- 3/4 cup (170g) almond paste
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg white
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Icing
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 4 teaspoons water
Instructions
Making the dough
- Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large food processor. Pulse to blend, then add the cold, cubed butter and pulse another 8-10 times to break the cubed butter down until it is about pea-sized.1 cup (141g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (141g) bread flour, 3 Tablespoons (40g) granulated sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, 1/2 teaspoon table salt, 1 cup (227g) cold salted butter
- Add the sour cream and pulse until evenly moistened and starting to clump together creating a very sticky dough. Do not overprocess the mixture. It's okay if there are some small streaks of sour cream or flour. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and press it together into a disc. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.1 cup cold sour cream
Laminate the dough
- Once the dough has thoroughly chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into an 8x15-inch rectangle. Fold the bottom short end 1/3 of the way over, then fold the top short end over on top of that, like a letter. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into another 8x15-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds again using the same method, then rewrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes to keep the butter in the dough cold and to let the gluten relax so it is easy to roll out.
- Once the dough has chilled, repeat the previous step of rolling it into an 8x15-inch rectangle, folding into thirds, turning, rolling, and folding. Wrap it up and chill the dough for another 20 minutes.
- Repeat this process one final time. This process is called lamination and it builds up flaky layers of butter and fat throughout the dough. Once the dough has been laminated, it can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If freezing, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight before using.
Filling
- To make the almond filling, break up the almond paste into chunks, then beat the almond paste, butter, powdered sugar, egg white, salt, and lemon juice in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined mostly combined. Set aside.3/4 cup (170g) almond paste, 4 Tablespoons salted butter,, 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar, 1 large egg white, Pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Assembly
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Divide the chilled dough in half.
- Roll out one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a long 6x24-inch rectangle. Spread 1/2 of the almond filling (about 1/2 cup) down the center of the dough in a long line. Fold one of the long sides over the filling, about 1/3 of the way across.
- Brush the other exposed side of the dough with the beaten egg white, then fold this over the dough and almond filling. Pinch to seal the seams. Gently shape the dough into an oval-shape like a race track, tucking one end into the other end. You can use a little of the egg white to help seal the oval shut. Carefully transfer the oval to the prepared sheet pan, flipping it over so the seam side is down. Repeat with the other half of the dough and filling ingredients.1 large egg white
- Cover the kringle loosely with plastic wrap or a clean dishcloth. Let rise for 30-45 minutes until slightly puffy.
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (191℃) about 20 minutes before you are ready to bake. Brush each kringle with the remaining egg white, then bake for for 25-28 minutes until golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
- As soon as the kringle pastries are removed from the oven, stack the pans on top of each other and press down slightly to remove air pockets between the filling and the pastry. Do this for both pastries while they are still hot, then let the kringle cool completely before icing.
Glaze
- Make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and water in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle or spread the icing over the cooled kringle pastries, then let sit until the icing has dried before slicing and serving.1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice, Pinch of salt, 4 teaspoons water
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover kringle tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Freezing Instructions: Allow the baked kringle to cool completely, then before icing, wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for several hours at room temperature before icing and serving. You can also freeze individual slices.
- Make-Ahead: The laminated dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before shaping. The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months after lamination. The almond filling can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Fully assembled kringle can be refrigerated overnight before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking the next day.
Nutrition
Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 709IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
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