Wisconsin Danish Kringle Is A Traditional Christmas Food Made By Serious Pastry Chefs; The Rest Of Us Bake Cranberry Bars

A long-time, Wisconsin tradition is enjoyment of a Danish kringle on Christmas morning. Danish immigrants began the tradition when they settled southeastern Wisconsin in the 1800's. Visit the Racine, Wisconsin area and you'll find Danish bakeries laden with kringles handmade of light, flaky, layers of pastry dough wrapped around of all varieties of sweet fillings: fruit, nut, cheese, and chocolate. Pastry doesn't get tastier.

But few Wisconsinites bake their own kringles. The labor and skill-intensive pastry is not for the novice baker. You won't find a kringle recipe in Mom's Updated Quick Meals Recipe Box: 250 family favorites in thirty minutes or less. You have to look in the Wisconsin Country Gourmet to find a kringle recipe. No Wisconsin cook can claim the title of chef if s/he hasn't mastered the art of the kringle; and for this reason, I offer a recipe for cranberry bars instead. But more on that later.

So most Wisconsinites purchase their Christmas kringles and an extra one or two to freeze for later. Kringles are one of those remarkable foods that freeze incredibly well. Even when thawed after six months in the freezer only a Danish baker might know the kringle hadn't been baked that morning. It's a custom here in Wisconsin to keep a frozen kringle on hand to serve when friends drop in to visit.

Enjoying Danish kringle is such a strong Wisconsin tradition that Wisconsin culinary guides have to include a stop at a kringle bakery. When writing Wisconsin's Hometown Flavors: A cook's tour of butcher shops, bakeries, cheese factories, and other specialty markets, culinary historian, chef, and travel writer, Terese Allen, had to stop by the O & H Danish Bakery in Racine. Allen describes the family-history of the bakery and gives their recipe for kringle. But thankfully she also includes the bakery's recipe for cranberry slices.

O & H Bakery's recipe for cranberry bars is easy and taste bakery-wonderful. Okay, they're not kringle. But when I served them to company my guest left with the recipe and my daughter said, "YOU MUST BAKE THESE AGAIN!" The recipe made so much that I even had enough to make a generous Christmas gift for a favorite neighbor. Click on "continue reading..." for O & H Bakery's recipe for cranberry bars. 

O & H Cranberry Slices

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 15 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cups cake flour
• 12 ounces (about 3 cups cranberries - fresh or frozen (I used fresh)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9-by-13-inch or similarly-sized baking pan. In a large bowl, beat eggs with electric beaters on medium speed until frothy. Beat in sugar gradually. Lower speed and beat in melted butter. Stir in flour, cranberries, and pecans. Press mixture into prepared pan; bake until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool on wire rack and cut into bars.

Enjoy this pretty, festive holiday dessert with special people and your Christmas is well on the way to becoming a happy memory.

 

 

Comments

[Amanda]

You are so right. And that kind of friend is so rare. A treasure to be relished. Thanks for pausing to comment.

[coach purses]

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had.

[Nike Shox Deliver]

Something you have been written in your blog make me have a sense of comfortable. Thank you for giving so good article.

[Amanda]

Thanks so much for reading...and taking the time to comment. These cranberry squares aren't just for Christmas. They're a sweet treat anytime. The only hard part can be finding the fresh cranberries.

[Creative Recreation]

I hope everyone who visitis your blog has a good time here as much as I do.

[Amanda]

Thanks so much for sharing your father-in-law's recipe. The dough looks easy to mix up. It's tempting me to try it. How long do you bake it at what temp?

[generic Viaga Online]

In Denmark, kringle denotes the pretzel-like knotted shape rather than the pretzel pastry type. Kringles may be made from puff pastry (like Danish pastry) or yeast dough, filled with remonce or marzipan and raisins, sprinkled with coarse sugar, nut flakes or iced.

[buy generic viagra]

This recipe is from my father-in-law's mother who was born and raised in Denmark. It is a wonderful holiday pastry treat that is both beautiful and delicious. Plan your dough at least 1 to 2 days in advance. Making the dough is very simple. It takes just a few minutes to prepare and refrigerate. Creating the kringle takes more time, but it is worth it!"
* 1 cup butter
* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 1 cup sour cream
*
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2 cups brown sugar
* 1 1/2 cups chopped English walnuts, divided
*
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 2 tablespoons water
enjoy

[Childrens Beds]

This looks YUMMY!
I am a fan of your site now, and this is some thing i will have to try!
Thanks again!!!!

[Stacie]

These sound fantastic!!