Marzipan Birthday Kringle Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the milk and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let stand for 10 minutes to dissolve. Stir in cream.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or pinching with your fingers until it is a course mealy texture. Stir in the yeast mixture until well blended. Pat into a ball, flatten slightly, then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• To make the filling, mix the almond paste, almonds, sugar, cinnamon and almond extract using an electric mixer until evenly blended. It may be crumbly.
• Roll the chilled dough out into a 2 inch wide and 24 inch long rectangle. Spread the filling to within 2 inches of the sides and roll up into a tube. Cover your work surface with sugar, and roll the tube of dough in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Roll and stretch the dough out to form a long rope about 40 inches long. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a pretzel shape.
• Brush the top of the pretzel with egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake the kringle in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into slices to serve.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cut 1 cup butter into flour until crumbly, leaving pea-sized chunks. Stir in sour cream, and mix well; dough will be very sticky. Form dough into a ball. Cover tightly, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Prepare the filling by combining 1 cup butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup chopped walnuts.
• Divide dough into three equal parts; return two parts to the refrigerator to keep cold. Quickly form 1/3 of the dough into a rectangle, and flour lightly. On a heavily floured surface, roll out to approximately 12x17 inches. Position lengthwise on the work surface. Along the long edges of the dough rectangle, use a sharp knife to cut 4 inch long angled lines about 1/2 inch apart. Spoon 1/3 of the filling along the length of the rectangle's uncut center. Alternating from one side of the dough to the other, fold each 1/2 inch wide strip towards the center, crisscrossing the filling in a braid-like fashion. Lightly press together the ends of the strips to seal. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining walnuts. Repeat with remaining ingredients to form 3 braided danishes. Arrange danishes on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool for approximately 30 minutes. While the danishes are cooling, prepare the icing: mix confectioners sugar and water until smooth. Drizzle in fine streams over warm danishes.

Steps:

• Combine yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, and warm milk in a small bowl. Let rest until the yeast dissolves and begins to foam (about 10 min). Gently stir in the cream.
• Combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and cardamom in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Fold in the yeast mixture just enough to moisten the dough. Cover and refrigerate 12 - 24 hours before rolling out the dough.
• Prepare the filling after the dough has been refrigerated by blending together all the filling ingredients.
• Lightly flour a pastry board or other smooth surface, and place the dough on the floured surface. Pound it with a rolling pin until the dough is flattened to a thickness of about 2 inches. Roll the dough to make a 24 inch square.
• Spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edges and roll up the dough as tightly as possible.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar on the work surface, and with your fingers, roll the dough firmly into the sugar to coat it, while also strething it to form a log measuring about 36 - 40 inches.
• Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the roll on the paper in the shape of a large pretzel. Brush the surface with the beaten egg white, and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Cover and let rise 45 minutes, or until puffy, but not doubled.
• Bake in a 375 F oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown.