Racine Pecan Kringle

Happy Halloween! As usual, I kind of failed on the posting seasonal/holiday themed recipes thing. No spider web cupcakes or caramel apples here!

I don't know if it's defiance or laziness that makes me do these things, but contrary to what you may think, kringle actually has no relation to Kris Kringle or Christmas whatsoever so it's perfectly fine for me to post it on Halloween. Yes, it actually is!

Well, you can't really blame me. I don't even have my kid dressed up in a costume for his first Halloween, much less have any spooky treats baked up. I did eat some chocolate though which we all know is the true meaning of Halloween anyway.

Now, I've let you go on thinking that I made this masterpiece of Danish pastry for long enough. Samuel is actually the baker behind all these flaky layers of kringle. I didn't even know what a kringle was until he told me. Apparently they're famous in his hometown, Racine, Wisconsin.

He went on a kringle baking spree for about a week before he finally made one that tasted like the REAL THING. Needless to say, we had many happy neighbors as a result.

Just to warn you, it takes a few days to make. I think you could probably speed it up by chilling the dough in the freezer instead of waiting for it overnight in the fridge, but Samuel insists that real Racine kringles take 3 days, so 3 days it is. Enjoy.

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• Racine Pecan Kringle 
• Adapted from this recipe from Mommie Cooks
• Warning: makes 2 kringles!
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• For the dough:
• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
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• For the Filling:
• 8 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla Extract
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
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• For the Glaze:
• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar (more as needed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons milk
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• Warning: Plan on 3 DAYS for making this kringle. Otherwise you can use the freezer to speed things up and make it in one day, but Samuel insists on doing the three day method.
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• Tip: Always keep the dough as cold as possible and do not overwork it. You must be very gentle with pastries. If the dough starts getting warm at any point, throw it back in the fridge as soon as possible. 
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• Instructions: Spread the softened butter on an 8x16 inch sheet of wax paper. Refrigerate until chilled. 
• Meanwhile, make the dough. Dissolve the yeast in the water.  Add the milk, sugar, salt, and egg.
• Add the flour about 1/2 cup at a time.  Knead the dough for about 10 minutes by hand or with a stand mixer with dough hook attachment. 
• Chill the dough in the refrigerator. When it is well chilled, roll it out into an 8x12 inch rectangle. Cut the sheet of butter in half and lay one piece of it over 2/3 of your dough and return the other half to the refrigerator. Fold the third of dough without the butter over on top of the butter layer and then fold the other end over the top of that, as if you're folding a letter.
• Chill it again in the refrigerator overnight.   
• Roll the chilled dough out into an 8x12 inch rectangle again.  Place your remaining piece of chilled butter on top and fold again as you did yesterday. Chill again overnight.
• Roll the dough once more to an 8x16 inch rectangle and fold in thirds like a letter again.
• Put it in the fridge again until chilled.
• Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece of dough into a 6x20 inch strip, each on its own piece of parchment paper (it's okay if it's hanging off the parchment, because it won't fit until you get it into an oval).
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. 
• Combine all the filling ingredients and spread half of it down the middle of each strip dough. Seal the dough around the filling using wet fingers.  Don't get it too wet.
• Form it into an oval joining the two ends together (again with a little water on your fingers).  Flatten the whole thing down gently with your hands.  Throw the other one in the fridge while you're waiting. 
• Bake the kringle for 20 to 25 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Then bake the other kringle.
• Mix together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Add more powdered sugar until desired thickness is reached. Spread over cooled kringles.  
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