Butter-Pecan Kringle

• Refrigerated

  • 3 Eggs, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 12 oz Caramel
  • 1 cup Confectioners' or glazing sugar
  • 2 cup Flour, unbleached
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 pinch Salt

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 2 cups Pecan, halves

• Dairy

  • 1 cup Butter
  • 2 tbsp Heavy cream

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 1/2 tsp Butter rum
  • 1/8 tsp Butter-rum flavor

• Liquids

  • 1 1/4 cup Water

Found on kingarthurflour.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, cut into pats
• 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt*
• 1/4 cup cold water
• *Reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter.
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt*
• 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon butter rum, eggnog, or vanilla-butternut flavor, optional but delicious
• *Reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter.
• 12 ounces caramel, cut from a block (about 1 cup, packed); or about 3 dozen individual caramel candies*, unwrapped
• 2 cups pecan halves, toasted in a 350°F oven until golden brown
• *Use fresh, soft caramels. If using harder, supermarket-type caramels, add a couple of tablespoons milk or cream when melting, to keep them soft on the kringle; or substitute caramel sauce.
• 1 cup confectioners or glazing sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, half and half, or milk, enough to make a thick but pourable glaze
• 1/8 teaspoon butter-rum flavor, eggnog flavor, or vanilla-butternut flavor, optional but good
• pinch of salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a baking sheet thats at least 18 x 13; or a 14 round pizza pan. To make the base: Combine the butter, flour, and salt, mixing until crumbly. Add the water, and stir to make a soft, sticky dough. Wet your hands, pick up the dough, and shape it into a 12 x 8 oval ring on the sheet pan; or a 10 ring in the pizza pan. This will be messy going, but just keep wetting your fingers and pushing it into a ring. An easy way to approach this is to first divide the dough into four pieces; roll each piece into a 9 rope, then connect the ropes and shape them into a ring. Once youve made the ring, flatten the dough so its about 1 1/2 wide; basically, itll look like a train or NASCAR track. To make the pastry topping: Place the water, butter, and salt in a saucepan, and heat over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is boiling. Immediately add the flour, stirring with a spatula until the mixture is cohesive and starts to form a ball. Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the flavor at the end, if youre using it. Spread the pastry along the ring, covering it completely; youll now have a much wider ring, though it wont be completely closed in the center; it should still look like a ring. Bake the kringle for 50 to 60 minutes, until its a deep golden brown. If you havent yet toasted your pecans, this is a good opportunity to do so; theyll need about 8 to 10 minutes in the oven. When theyre golden, remove them from the oven and cool. When the kringle is done, remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool completely on the pan. To add the pecans and caramel: First, have the pecans all ready beside the pan of kringle; youll be sprinkling them atop the caramel as soon as you pour it on. Place the caramel in a microwave-safe spouted cup, if you have one; its not necessary, but makes it easier to pour. Melt the caramel until its bubbly, remove it from the microwave, stir a few times to smooth out the bubbles, and immediately drizzle it over the kringle. If it stiffens up, reheat briefly in the microwave. Sprinkle pecans atop the caramel, pressing them in gently. Allow the kringle to cool completely. To make the glaze: Stir together the confectioners sugar, salt, flavor (if youre using it), and enough milk or cream to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle it over the kringle. To serve, cut the kringle in 2 slices.

Nutrition