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Kringle Mania
By Sam Lilly
Judging by our state fair mania for cream puffs, you’d think it was Wisconsin’s official pastry. But in fact the Kringle−a flaky and sweet baked good−is the most prized and “official” pastry of our great state.
Kringle first appeared in Wisconsin when the area was settled by northern European immigrants in the late 19th century. It arrived as a pretzel, salty and twisted, but was Americanized into a sweeter and more fattening delight. We twisted it out of its traditional form, the shape that to this day adorns the outside of bakeries, into the ovular shape we now recognize. We also added many fillings and icings to further sweeten the originally salty food.
To better understand this delicious and famous pastry, I made a few Kringles in the hopes to understand the specific tricks that make Kringle so delicious. I started with a simple recipe from a website devoted to the Kringle:
1 package yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degree F. to 115
degree F.)
1/2 cup cold butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup warm milk (slightly colder then
room temperature)
1 egg beaten
The original recipe advised that you mix the dry components ahead of the yeast and milk and then cut the butter into the food using a pastry blender or a pair of knives. However I found that it is easier and just as good to cut the butter into thin slices (a quarter inch or less) and then put them into the mixture of flour and salt. Mix the butter into the flower on high. Once the butter and flour are mixed together such that the flour and butter clutch together and form small balls, I added the yeast and the water together with the sugar into a separate bowl, mixing thoroughly to combine the yeast, the water and half the sugar. Then I added the milk to the yeast mixture. After that I added the liquid mix to the standing mixer and beat it on high until the flour and liquid mix became a sticky dough. Finally I added the egg and set the dough aside in the fridge for at least an hour. Then I set to the filling. During my Kringle experimentation I found and produced four different types of fillings: lemon, molasses pecan, chocolate, and pecan brown sugar.
and flower on high. Once the butter and flour are mixed together such that the flour and butter clutch together and form small balls, I added the yeast and the water together with the sugar into a separate bowl, mixing thoroughly to combine the yeast, the water and half the sugar. Then I added the milk to the yeast mixture. After that I added the liquid mix to the standing mixer and beat it on high until the flour and liquid mix became a sticky dough. Finally I added the egg and set the dough aside in the fridge for at least an hour. Then I set to the filling. During my Kringle experimentation I found and produced four different types of fillings: lemon, molasses pecan, chocolate, and pecan brown sugar.
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