This Pecan Kringle is the perfect breakfast treat for Christmas morning.. or any morning! The pecans in the filling are toasty and flavored with buttery cinnamon and brown sugar.


The dough is so flaky and tender. Fortunately, this recipe does not require the traditional rolling out of the dough with layers and layers of butter over three days as is done in the bakeries of Racine, Wisconsin, the Danish capital of the U.S.

You can assemble these Kringles in one day, place them in the refrigerator, and bake them on Christmas morning while you are all opening your presents. The house will be filled with the aroma of fresh baked bread and cinnamon. So good!

Unlike with most lean bread recipes, you might have to wash a lot of bowls, measuring cups, spatulas, and spoons after making this bread. That's okay! There are a lot of delicious components to this holiday bread.

I did get a little (ahem) frustrated trying to incorporate the sour cream into the dough. I ended up using a Danish dough whisk, and then my hands to incorporate the flour mixture into the sour cream. My hands were coated with dough. I added 3 tablespoons of ice water (trying to measure with hands covered in sticky dough), and quit mixing as soon as I had a dough that resembled flaky biscuit dough. If you use your hands, work quickly to make sure the dough stays cold.

Frustration and dirty dishes not withstanding, it's totally worth it. This Kringle is really tender and tasty. Your friends and family will be completely impressed. I'm definitely making these again.

After the recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the holiday breads from the Twelve Loaves bakers!

Pecan Kringle

Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans, toasted
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled
• 4 cups (20 ounces) all purpose flour
• 16 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled
• 1/4 cup shortening, chilled in pieces
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 to 3 tbsp ice water
• 1 large egg, light beaten
• 1 cup (4 ounces) powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. To make the filling: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, until the pecans are coarsely ground, about 2 to 3 pulses.
2. Add the 4 tbsp of butter and pulse about 9 to 10 times, until the mixture is crumbly. Remove the mixture from the food processor into a bowl and refrigerate.
3. Wipe out the food processor, and add the flour, 16 tbsp of butter, shortening, powdered sugar, yeast, and salt. Pulse about 15 to 20 times, until crumbly.
4. Move the mixture to a large bowl and add the sour cream. Stir the mixture, and then mix with your hands until smooth, adding ice water as necessary. Do not over handle. The mixture must remain cold. 
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half with a bench knife. Form each half into a 7 inch by 3 inch rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, and then freeze for 15 minutes.
6. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly flour a work surface, and roll one of the pieces of dough into a 28 inch by 5 inch strip. Sprinkle half of the filling mixture down one side of the length of the strip, leaving a 1/2 inch edge. Using your finger, rub the edge with water. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
7. Form the dough into an oval ring, with the seam on the inside. Seal the ends together. Place the ring on the parchment lined baking sheet. repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover each ring with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the rings from the refrigerator, brush each ring with an egg wash, and bake, one sheet at a time, for 40 to 50 minutes.
9. Cool the rings in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with the milk and vanilla. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the kringles. Let set for 10 minutes.

Yield: 2 Kringles, Recipe adapted from Cook's Country, Dec/Jan 2010

#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Savoring Italy and runs smoothly with the help of Heather of All Roads Lead to the Kitchen, and the rest of our fabulous bakers. This month we are baking Holiday Breads that are perfect to celebrate the holiday season. For more bread recipes, visit the #TwelveLoaves Pinterest board, or check out last month's inspiring selection of #TwelveLoaves Thanksgiving Biscuits and Rolls!

• Buttermilk Honey Santa Bread from Kudos Kitchen 
• Christmas Morning Crown from All That's Left are the Crumbs 
• Cranberry Orange Muffins from Hostess at Heart 
• Fruity Santa Bread from Cheap Ethnic Eatz 
• Pandolce Genovese from Savoring Italy 
• The Precise Kitchen Elf's Panettone from Culinary Adventures with Camilla