Tastefully Overcaramelized

Ann says

As a Latvian, Klingeris is the traditional birthday sweet that stands instead of the birthday cake, and frankly, I think I prefer it.  Lightly sweet and mysteriously addictive due to the intoxicating combination of cardamom and saffron, it is best devoured the same day it is made.

I’ve been meaning to post a good klingeris recipe here for a while now for a couple of reasons. One is that there are a few recipes out there that use ingredients like condensed milk that are just not traditional, and others that skimp on the spices and leave what should be a yellow bread suspiciously pale.  My mom and I tried out a few recipes and this one has never failed us, with our own alterations of course.  The pictures here are of one that I sent along with Abe to New Jersey for his parents for Christmas, and thus does not have the usual final touch of a dusting of powdered sugar, but this also gives a good look at the color the bread should be when it’s done baking, at least in my opinion.  Many Latvians of the my-way-or-the-highway sort insist that the bread should be significantly darker and almost burnt on the bottom.  That’s what my grandmother did, but my mom and I do the baking now, so she has no say.  Personally, I prefer uncharred sweet bread.  If YOU happen to like that char flavor, I encourage you to take the baking time a good 15 minutes further.

The bread itself is pretty versatile.  It’s very easy to make a log out of the dough and freeze it, to be thawed, risen, and baked at a later date.  The baked bread also freezes easily and is nice to have on hand in case of guests.    So, without further ado, here’s my favorite Klingeris recipe.

Klingeris

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
Grated rind of one lemon
1 tsp. salt
2 heavy pinches of saffron
3/4 tsp. cardamom (ground)
1/2 cup flour
2 env. dried yeast (2 Tbsp.)
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 lb. butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
9-1/2 cups flour
2-1/2 cups golden raisins (regular are OK if you can’t find golden ones)
1 egg
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds
Powdered sugar

Heat the milk in a heavy pan until hot but not boiling, remove from heat and add sugar, lemon rind, salt and saffron.  Let the saffron steep and the milk to cool until you can put your finger in and hold it there.   Whisk together 1/2 cup flour plus cardamom and whisk this into the milk mixture.

Warm about a half cup of water in a mug plus a teaspoon of sugar and add the yeast mixture.  The water should also not be too hot or it will kill the yeast.  Next, beat butter in a very large bowl for about 3-5 minutes and then beat in the sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time plus the egg yolk until the whole mixture is  pale yellow and fluffy.

Add the milk mixture and the yeast mixture to the butter mixture and combine with a large wooden spoon. Gradually add 9 cups of flour.  You should be able to handle the dough but it should be a little sticky and moist.  If you find it is getting to this point before adding all of the flour, simply stop adding flour. Add the raisins and mix well. Sprinkle flour on the dough and cover bowl with plastic wrap.

At this point you can either refrigerate the dough for 6-12 hours or you can allow the dough to rise slowly for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature.  We usually allow the dough to sit in the fridge over night and then take it out EARLY and pop it in a 100 degree oven to get it to thaw, because the refrigerated dough takes forever to thaw at room temp.

Turn half of the dough out onto a floured board at a time and knead each for about 5 minutes. These two can be made into two large klingeri or they can be further divided to make breads of whatever size you like.

Whatever the size, roll the dough into a long rope with your hands and then make the pretzel shape. Place this on a large pan prepped with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature or until dough has nearly doubled. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F.  Brush the dough with a beaten egg and place whole blanched almonds on top however you like.  Bake the dough for about 35 to 50 minutes or until golden brown on the center rack. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

Filed under: Breads, Latvian, Recipes by Ann on January 15, 2009. Tagged with: klingeris, raisins, saffron.