Danish Kringle

Name: Danish Kringle
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 7 h 15 min
Yield: 16 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1/4 c. whole milk, heated to 110°; 2 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided; 2 1/4 tsp. (7 g.) active dry yeast; 1 c. (120 g.) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface; 1 c. (120 g.) bread flour; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes; 1 large egg, beaten to blend; 2 tbsp. ice cold water; 2/3 c. (185 g.) almond paste; 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature; 1/4 tsp. kosher salt; 1 large egg, separated; 1/4 c. (30 g.) confectioners' sugar; All-purpose flour, for surface; 1 tbsp. cold water; 1 c. (115 g.) confectioners' sugar; 2 tbsp. whole milk; 1 tsp. almond extract; 1/4 c. toasted flaked almonds

By Taylor Ann SpencerPublished: Dec 6, 2022

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PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

If you love almond croissants, you’ve GOT to try this Danish kringle. Stuffed with creamy almond filling and glazed with icing, these flaky ring-shaped pastries are equal parts decadently rich and irresistibly delicious.

Making kringle isn’t difficult, but it does take a little time. The dough is very sticky and will need to be refrigerated for at least 4 hours after it’s made. (For best results, we recommend overnight.) Once chilled, the dough is rolled out and folded twice in a process called “lamination” (the secret to those light and flaky layers!) before it can be rolled out a final time, filled, and baked. Is it quick? No. Is it worth it? One hundred percent.

Read on for more information on this decadent pastry. Hungry for more all things almond? Check out this almond cake.

Where does Danish kringle come from?

The Danish kringle was originally brought to Racine, Wisconsin, in the 1800s by Danish immigrants. Today it’s the official state pastry of Wisconsin, with several well-known bakeries still cranking out hundreds of thousands of kringles a year.

What is this dough?

Danish pastry dough is usually a cross between sweet bread and puff pastry, involving a yeasted dough that's layered with thin sheets of butter and then rolled out and folded multiple times, creating many fine layers of butter within a single piece of dough. When the butter melts in the oven, the moisture within the butter creates steam, puffing up the dough and creating those flaky pastry layers. We’ve taken a cue from Shauna Sever, author of an entire book on Midwestern bakes, and simplified the process by rubbing the butter into the dough until large flakes form (similar to the way you would with pie dough), then rolling out and folding the dough to create the layers from there. It’s not quite as flaky as a Danish dough would be, but it’s pretty darn close!

Made this? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Yields:: 16 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 15 mins
Total Time:: 7 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients

Dough

1/4 c.
whole milk, heated to 110°
2 tbsp.
granulated sugar, divided
2 1/4 tsp.
(7 g.) active dry yeast
1 c.
(120 g.) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 c.
(120 g.) bread flour
1 tsp.
kosher salt
1 c.
(2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1
large egg, beaten to blend
2 tbsp.
ice cold water

Filling

2/3 c.
(185 g.) almond paste
3 tbsp.
unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
1
large egg, separated
1/4 c.
(30 g.) confectioners' sugar

Assembly

All-purpose flour, for surface
1 tbsp.
cold water
1 c.
(115 g.) confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp.
whole milk
1 tsp.
almond extract
1/4 c.
toasted flaked almonds

Directions

Dough
1. Step 1In a small heatproof container, combine milk and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Sprinkle yeast over and let sit until yeast foams, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Step 2In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, bread flour, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Add cold butter, tossing in flour to coat. Using your hands, flatten butter chunks into large shards.
3. Step 3Stir yeast mixture to ensure yeast is dissolved, then stir in egg and water. Using a spatula, quickly fold yeast mixture into flour mixture until no streaks remain. Dough should be very sticky, with large patches of butter clearly visible.
4. Step 4Arrange a large square of plastic wrap on a work surface. Scrape dough into center of plastic; wrap dough into a 6" square, shaping with plastic. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
5. Step 5On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 15"-by-8" rectangle with short end facing you. (If dough sticks or a butter patch breaks through to top of surface, sprinkle a little flour over it.) Fold top quarter of rectangle down so top edge is in the center of the rectangle. Fold up bottom quarter so edges meet in the center, then fold top half over bottom half (this is a book turn).
6. Step 6Rotate dough 90° and roll to a 15"-by-8" rectangle. Repeat folding process to create a second book turn, then wrap with plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
7. Step 7Repeat rolling out, folding, and rotating process twice, then cover and refrigerate 30 minutes more.
Filling
1. Step 1In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat almond paste, butter, and salt until combined.
2. Step 2In a small bowl, beat egg white to loosen. Measure 1 tablespoon egg white and add to almond mixture along with confectioners' sugar, then beat until smooth.
3. Step 3Cover and reserve egg yolk and remaining egg white separately for assembly.
Assembly
1. Step 1Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Cut dough in half. Rewrap one-half in plastic and return to refrigerator.
2. Step 2On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 22"-by-6" rectangle. Spread half of filling down center of rectangle, creating a 2" strip. Fold one long side over filling. Brush other long side with some reserved beaten egg white, then fold over to create a long log; pinch seams to seal.
3. Step 3Gently stretch log to 22" long if necessary. Transfer to prepared sheet seam side down. Shape into an oval, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise at room temperature until puffed, 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Step 4Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Add egg yolk and water to remaining egg white and stir to combine. Brush over risen dough.
5. Step 5Bake kringles, rotating sheets top to bottom and back to front after 15 minutes, until golden brown and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. While still hot, gently press on tops with the flat side of a large spatula to help them deflate. Let cool on baking sheet.
6. Step 6Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir confectioners' sugar, milk, and almond extract to form a smooth, thick, but pourable icing. Spread over cooled kringle. Sprinkle with almonds.