If you’ve never heard of an Estonian Kringle, we’re about to remedy that. My great grandmother was one heck of a lady. There was nothing she couldn’t do. She was the perfect homemaker and one of her attributes was her cooking and baking abilities. She grew up in the kitchen with her grandmother and learned two specific rules:

• 1.) Everything is made from scratch. Ev-RE-Thing.
• 2.) Never sacrifice flavor. Even the poorest of meals can contain big flavors.

A Little Back Story

Growing up, on mornings like Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving we would be roused from our slumbers by the aroma of buttery sweetness and cinnamon being carried through the house like a summer breeze. There is no better way to be yanked out of a sleep… unless there is frying bacon involved. This heavenly delight was officially called an Estonian Kringle. Us children called it “The Gooey Birds Nest”, which by the way is what I am teaching my grandchildren to call it. I’m preserving our families in every way possible.

What is an Estonian Kringle?

Never heard of this treat before? No worries. You’re here now! A Kringle is basically an upscale version of its cousin the cinnamon bun. It’s a Scandanavian delight with a crunchy yet soft crust all around it while the inside is light and flaky! Your taste buds will encounter layer upon layer of buttery cinnamon and sugar goodness sending them into a frenzy. A Kringle more or less is a breakfast bread, but it can also be a delicious dessert option. It’s the perfect accompaniment for afternoon tea or coffee and is a huge hit at the church socials. This is a recipe you didn’t realize you need in your life, but you actually do.

Now the great thing about this recipe is much like any other bread recipe, this can be converted into a sourdough version. The conversion is easy. Basically, what you to do is replace the yeast with one cup of active starter. Next reduce the original recipes liquid requirements by one cup as well as the flour. I’ve never made it that way, but I’m sure it’s delicious. To learn more about sourdough conversions, click here. If you’d like to watch me make this delectable treat you can do so by heading over to my channel and see for yourself how scrumdiddilyuptious this treat is! For additional bread recipes available on my blog click here.

[recipe title = "Grandma Silvia's Estonian Kringle - A Cinnamon Braided Bread" Time = "2 Days" difficulty = "easy"]

Elements:

• 2 1/4 c. Sifted All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 3/4 c. Warmed Whole Milk
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Active Dry Yeast
• 2 Tbsp. Melted Butter
• 1 Egg Yolk, Beaten

Filling:

• 1/3 c. Softened Butter
• 1/4 c. Cinnamon/Sugar Combination *I substitute this element with Hippy Pilgrim Vanilla Sugar... and you should too!

Tutorial:

Day 1 – Evening

Start by combining the yeast and the sugar in a small bowl. Add the warmed milk and stir gently to dissolve the granules. Leave to rest about 10 minutes. Once the yeast has dissolved add the melted butter and the egg yolk. Gently combine thoroughly.

Next add the flour and the salt to a different bowl. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture using a spatula at first and finish my kneading by hand. The dough should pull off the sides of the bowl and the flour should be completely incorporated. Place the dough ball in a clean, warmed bowl and cover with Saran Wrap and set it someplace warm for an hour allowing it to rise and double.

Once it has risen, gently knead it and twist it. Place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle as thin as possible. Now spread the filling evenly over the dough leaving a 1″ border around the edges. Roll the dough up evenly and tightly. Trim and unevenness off the ends and discard.

Leaving 2″ at one end intact, take a knife and slice the dough tube the long way down. Turn the cut edges upwards and start twisting the two pieces together taking care to keep the cut edges facing up. Pinch the ends together forming a wreath and set it in a large bowl lined with parchment paper. Cover with Saran Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Day 2 – Morning

Take the Kringle out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours before you want to bake it. Remove the saran wrap and allow it to sit someplace warm. It will slightly rise some more during this time. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Take a little additional melted butter and add a bit more of the vanilla sugar to it. Brush buttery mixture over the Kringle. Sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts if you’d like. Place on a cooking sheet keeping the parchment paper under it. Bake at 400* for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350* and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Remove from the oven and serve warm.

[/recipe]

Estonian Kringle Sour Dough Conversion

With sour dough starter being the latest craze I though you would like to have this recipe with the option of using your starter to create it.

[recipe title = "Estonian Kringle Sour Dough: Vanilla Sugar Twisted Bread" difficulty = 'easy" time = "2 days"]

Elements:

• 1 c. Active Sour Dough Starter
• 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 c. All Purpose Flour. Start with less and add more flour if needed.
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 2 Tbsp. Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Melted Butter
• 1 Egg yolk

Filling:

• 1/3 c. Softened Butter
• 1/4 c. Cinnamon/Sugar Combination *I substitute this element with Hippy Pilgrim Vanilla Sugar... and you should too!

Tutorial:

Day 1 – Evening

Combine the starter, flour, salt, sugar, butter and egg yolk in a bowl. Combine and form into a ball. Place the ball in a clean, oiled bowl and cover with Saran Wrap. Leave it to sit in a warm spot overnight.

Day 2 – Morning

Uncover the dough and give it some stretches and pulls and then knead it for about 3 minutes on a floured surface. Roll the dough out in an 18″ X 20″ rectangle making it as thin as possible. *Make sure the surface is floured adequately so the dough does not stick to the surface.

Combine the softened butter and the vanilla sugar and spread evenly on the dough leaving a 1″ border around the edges. Next, roll the dough evenly and tightly. Every revolution is a buttery layer. If your ends are uneven, trim them off and discard. Leaving 2″ at one end intact, take a knife and slice the dough tube the long way down. Turn the cut edges upwards and start twisting the two pieces together taking care to keep the cut edges facing up. Pinch the ends together forming a wreath. Place on parchment paper and cover with a tea towel. Let it rest for about an hour.

Take a little additional melted butter and add a bit more of the vanilla sugar to it. Brush buttery mixture over the Kringle. Sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts if you’d like. Place on a cooking sheet keeping the parchment paper under it. Bake at 400* for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350* and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Serve warm.

[/recipe]