Kringle - Cake

Method

1. Brush an oven tray with melted butter or oil. Combine butter and 2 tablespoons of the flour in a small bowl until blended. Use a spatula to spread mixture onto a sheet of waxed paper to 10 × 20 cm. Cover and chill.

2. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside 5 minutes or until frothy. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, cream, egg and yeast mixture; beat until well combined. Add enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Roll into a 20 cm square. Lift waxed paper with chilled butter mixture and turn over onto dough so that the butter lies down centre of dough; remove waxed paper. Fold one side of dough over butter, then fold other side over to meet in the centre; pinch to seal. Roll into a 15 × 30 cm rectangle. Fold top third of pastry down towards you, and then fold the bottom third up over the top. You should end up with 3 layers of pastry. Turn the pastry clockwise until the open long seam is on the right; press ends together. Roll and fold 3 more times. If dough becomes too soft, refrigerate until firm, and then continue.

3. To make Filling: Mix sugar, walnuts and dates to make a filling. Roll dough into a 15 × 70 cm rectangle. Spread the filling down centre of dough. Roll up into a sausage shape, with seam underneath. Brush edges and ends with extra egg yolk to seal.

4. Place on prepared oven tray. Shape into a kringle by bringing the two ends round and up to meet in the centre to look like a large capital ‘B’. Seal with egg yolk. Cover and set aside to rise for 30 minutes or until well risen. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush dough with combined beaten egg white and water; sprinkle with almonds and sugar.

5. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until cooked. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.