Einkorn Butter Pecan Kringle

This Einkorn Butter Pecan Kringle begins with a buttery base, then a pâte à choux (pastry layer) is piped or spread on.  After baking, the pastry ring is topped with caramel and pecans, and drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze.

As you can see from the photo above, I got a bit overzealous with the caramel sauce (and the glaze), and admittedly, it was very sticky, but it was so delicious!

I just spooned the extra sauce over the sliced Kringle and it transformed it into a gooey treat soaked in caramel sauce!  It reminded me of baklava.

I brought some of the Kringle to a Christmas get-together and after tasting it, several people said they thought it tasted like baklava.  I hadn’t mentioned anything about what I thought it tasted like, but I agreed with them.

This Holiday Kringle is the challenge, or treat rather, for the Bread Baking Babes for December.  It’s not bread, it’s pastry, but it is definitely worth making.

Elle Baker of Feeding My Enthusiasms is the host kitchen this month and she had me at butter pecan. However, if you aren’t a fan of butter pecan, she provides another option for an Almond Raspberry Kringle.  Her goal for this month’s bake was to come up with something festive and easy!  I think she succeeded on both accounts.

This is considered an American Kringle although the base doesn’t have the buttery layers typically associated with this type of pastry.  It is still fabulous so don’t let that stop you from trying it.

The Kringle came together fairly easily, but I found the directions for shaping the base a little confusing.  So the bread baker in me took over and shaped it like I would a ring of bread.  I formed it into a log, then shaped the log into a ring, pinched the ends together, and placed it on the parchment paper.  Then I flattened it out with my fingers to the desired width.

Speaking of the width, the instructions indicated the pastry should be 1 1/2 inches wide, but I think I should’ve spread my base out a little wider because I ended up with extra pastry that didn’t fit on top of it.

I used einkorn flour so this could be the reason I had leftover pastry or perhaps I needed to beat the eggs in more.  I had reduced the eggs (from three to two) but forgot to reduce the water.  It had a bit too much hydration so I wasn’t able to pipe the pastry on. I just spread it over the top of the base until I ran out of room.

Although I ended up with extra pastry dough, that wasn’t a bad thing. I didn’t let it go to waste. I made some special treats with the remaining dough and toppings.

I had enough dough to make five pastries in addition to the Kringle.  I placed the extra dough in a muffin pan and when baked, the pastries puffed up.

The pastry puffs were a nice treat; however, I will say I like the extra crunch the base provides the Kringle.

Although the recipe may seem complicated with all of the different layers, it’s just a buttery base, some choux paste, some caramel sauce (purchased or make your own), pecan halves, and an easy glaze.

I’ve included my instructions below.  Refer to Elle Baker’s post for the original directions.

You can do the baking part in advance and then put on the toppings and glaze right before serving. You could also do the whole thing in one go if that works better for you. Since there is no rising time needed, you can get on with your holiday festivities.

Einkorn Butter Pecan Kringle

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• Author: Bread Experience

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Description

This Einkorn Butter Pecan Kringle begins with a buttery base, then a pâte à choux (pastry layer) is piped or spread on. After baking, the pastry ring is topped with caramel and pecans, and drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze.

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Ingredients

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Base

• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons, 113g) unsalted butter, cut into pats
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose einkorn flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt*
• 4 Tbsp cold water (add 1 Tbsp at a time, may need less)
• *Reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter.

Pastry

• 1/2 – 3/4 cup water (more if using regular all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons, 113g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt*
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose einkorn flour
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature (add 3 eggs if using regular all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract or your favorite flavoring
• *Reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter.

Topping

• Caramel sauce
• 2 cups (227g) toasted pecan halves

Glaze

• 1 cup (113g) confectioners’ or glazing sugar
• 2 tablespoons (28g) heavy cream, half & half, or milk, enough to make a thick but pourable glaze
• 1/8 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract or your favorite flavoring (I used almond milk)
• pinch of salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line a round 14 or 16-inch baking pan with parchment paper. A pizza pan works well.

To make the base:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix after each addition, until you have a soft, sticky dough.
2. Sprinkle your work surface lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a long rope.
3. Form the log into a ring to fit the size of the baking pan, pinch the ends together, and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Using your fingers, flatten the ring so it’s about 1 1/2 inches wide, or wider if you prefer.

To make the pastry:

1. In a medium saucepan, add the water, butter, and salt and cook over medium heat until the mixture boils. Add in all of the flour and beat vigorously until the mixture is cohesive.
2. Transfer this batter to a mixing bowl and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat each egg well until the egg is fully absorbed. Then add the next egg. Add your flavoring in at the end of the mixing.
3. Spread or pipe the pastry over the ring until it completely covers the ring of dough.
4. Bake the ring for 45-50 minutes, until deep golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

To make the topping:

1. While the pastry is cooling, toast the pecans.
2. Pour the caramel sauce over the pastry ring and top with the toasted pecans. Let cool if using melted caramels instead of caramel sauce.

To make the glaze

1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, and extract, and enough milk to make a pourable glaze.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the Kringle prior to serving.

Storing

1. Store at room temperature, lightly tented with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, for a day or so; freeze for longer storage. Kringle is best served the same day it’s made. If you plan on serving it the next day, add the caramel, nuts, and glaze just before serving.
2. You can bake the base pastry up to two days ahead, then cool, wrap, and store at room temperature. Top with filling and icing just before serving.

Notes

Adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Butter Pecan Kringle

• Category: Pastry