My partner's nieces live in Racine, Wis., and whenever Lisa, Susie and Jill head to the Twin Cities for a visit, they thoughtfully pack a few kringles, purchased on their way out of town at the city's famous O&H Danish Bakery. I've always loved these edible souvenirs, and often wondered if I could replicate them at home.
A few weeks ago, the latest cookbook from the Cook's Country magazine and TV empire landed on my desk. "Blue Ribbon Desserts" (America's Test Kitchen, $29.95) rattles off more than 100 carefully explained American heirloom treats, including, wouldn't you know it, a pecan kringle.
I was hooked from the recipe's opening sentences: "Wisconsin might conjure up images of cheese and beer, but in the southeast corner of the state, there's another culinary superstar: kringle. Recipes for this oval-shaped, supremely buttery Danish arrived with the many Danish immigrants who settled in Racine in the 1800s."
After adding butter, sour cream, yeast and pecans to my shopping list, I pulled the food processor off the shelf and preheated the oven. The verdict? Impressive, and relatively easy to make. If you can roll a pie crust, then a kringle definitely fits inside your baking wheelhouse.
Based on my kringle-making experience, I'd happily toss "Blue Ribbon Desserts" in my shopping cart. Especially since I've already composed a bucket list of "blue ribbon" recipes: Lemon pound cake, Southern caramel cake, "mile-high" lemon meringue pie and "Tick Tock orange sticky rolls."
That last one sounds as if it has "cabin breakfast" written all over it. Hey, if my cabin-owning pals discover that I've got sticky breakfast rolls on the brain, maybe I'll snare a few invites this summer. Just in case, here's my new motto: Have kringle, will travel.
Rick Nelson • 612-673-4757
