Kringle Recipe

I've tried this recipe several times now,  and not once was it not fit to eat. It's very good and really not all that much work. However, I usually don't advertise that last bit of info. I like for my friends and co-workers  to think I put many diligent hours into my successful baking adventures. And if it doesn't work out??? I throw it in the trash and never let anyone know I even tried. (This system works for me pretty well. )

Dough

1 pkg. active dry yeast (I buy yeast by the jar and use 1 tablespoon.)

1/4 cup warm water (110°-115°)

1/2 cup cold butter

2 cups all-purpose flour (I always end up using a bit more. You just have to get a feel for it)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup warm milk (110°-115°)

1 egg beaten

Filling                                                                                    

8 ounces cream cheese                                                        

1/2 cup sugar                                                                      

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract                                    

 Your favorite jam (I use apricot)                                      

1 Cup chopped nuts                                                                  

Mix the first 3 ingredients with mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Glaze 

1 Cup powdered sugar

4 – 5 teaspoons water

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk until smooth.

Preparing the dough

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water.


Using a pastry blender or two knives, in a large bowl, cut butter into flour and salt until particles are the size of small peas. Add yeast mixture, sugar, warm milk, and egg. Beat until smooth. (Dough will be very soft.) Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but not more than 24 hours.


When ready to use, remove from refrigerator. Punch dough down and divide in half. Return other half to refrigerator. On a well-floured board and working quickly before dough softens, roll into a 15 x 10 inch rectangle, approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. (If dough gets too warm from handling, return to refrigerator for awhile.)

Spread half of the cream cheese filling down the center of the dough rectangle in a two-inch strip.
On top of that, spread your favorite jam.
Fold sides of dough over filling, overlapping 1 1/2 inches. Pinch edges to seal.

Oval Shape
Form roll into a circle and pinch ends together. Place seam side down on a large greased baking sheet. Repeat same process with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until double in size.

Preheat oven to 375° and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes. Spread Glaze and sprinkle top with chopped pecans or walnuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note- I sometimes try to make a little fancier looking Kringle by cutting the edges into 1/2 inch strips  and criss-crossing them over the filling instead of just overlapping the edges like it says in the recipe.   I haven't perfected it yet, but am still trying. Heck! I don't even have the oval shape perfected yet! No matter, it still tastes wonderful.

Tuesday night Knitting Club

Yes, it is official. I am now a member of a knitting club. One Tuesday a month I get together with six other hip, needle savvy ladies who enjoy knitting or crocheting. Some are beginners; some are experienced. Me??? I'm somewhere in between. We have a lot of fun sitting around knitting or crocheting and sharing our yarn crafting stories and showing off our latest creation. And... it's all right to brag! Nobody rolls their eyes when one of us shows off the sweater we just finished or the dishrag that is finally done. We really appreciate each other's unique talent. We also pick up some pretty useful tips, or get some help if we're stuck somewhere in a pattern of a project we're working on.

This month's get together was at my house  and there was quite a range of projects being worked on tonight.  The needles were really clicking. Two of us were working on socks, one was working on a baby sweater, and three were working on scarves. Most were knitting, but we did have one crocheter in the group. One thing  I like about this group besides the knitting is meeting new people. We're a pretty diverse group of females, but one Tuesday a month it doesn't really matter how different we are or what our political or religious views are, or what our philosophy is on child rearing. We don't gossip. We don't talk about work. We talk yarn, patterns, and what our next project is going to be. I love it!

Sweater's done!!!!

Yipee!!! Finally got my sweater done, and I have started on my second pair of socks and a little dress for my one and only granddaughter, Isobella.

My Sweater

Future Dress for Izzy!

Knitting, Knitting, Knitting

OK, I have become, at least temporarily, a knit-0-holic. I can't wait to get my necessary work done so I can sit down and knit. My latest project, a simple two-button cardigan, is just about complete. I will post a pic if it looks half-way descent. I've completed one pair of socks. (I think I've already posted that pic.) Izzy's sweater is next on my list to complete. It's started but I haven't been working on it lately in an attempt to get this sweater done. I can't have more than two projects going or I get too frustrated not being able to make a decision about which one to work on. When I'm working on one, I'm thinking about the others. Oh what a problem to have. What would really help me out here is a four day work week without a lot of night duties. However, that's not going to happen, so I have to get creative with my knitting time. I've been able to get one complete row of knitting done while waiting for my order at Sonic. I've completed an entire chemo cap while waiting for my mother to complete a chemo therapy session at the cancer center. I haven't been guilty of knitting while driving yet, but I do take my knitting with me whenever I leave the house for longer than just a quick errand.

One project done!

Here's a couple of pictures of my first completed knitting project that actually took a little more skill than just knitting and purling. When I finish my next project I will, of course, post a pic of it too. So far I am really enjoying getting a little more serious about this knitting hobby.