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Sweet yeasted bread filled with apple filling and glazed with icing and topped with sliced almond is a dessert bread often enjoyed during festive occasions and holidays in Russia and Ukraine.
What is krendl/krendel bread ?
Krendl or Krendel is a type of sweet yeast bread that is traditionally associated with Russian and Ukrainian cuisine. It is often enjoyed during festive occasions and holidays. Recipes can vary between regions and households, but they generally feature a sweet dough with fillings such as fruit compote, poppy seeds, nuts, dried fruits, or combinations of any of those. The dough is then shaped into a pretzel-like, baked and then covered in sweet almond glaze. There is also a variation where just a simple dusting of powdered sugar is used instead of glaze and almond pieces. It is definitely a sweet treat if you ask me! The bread is not only made for Christmas, but also prepared for celebrations like weddings, birthdays, or other religious holidays.
Krendl/Krendel (Russian/Ukrainian Christmas Bread)
Ingredients
- 390 g all-purpose flour plus more as needed
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- 9 g instant yeast
- 30 g sugar
- 180 ml whole milk plus more as needed
- 55 g unsalted butter softened
- 2 egg yolks from large eggs
- 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
For spreading on the dough:
- 30 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 25 g butter melted
Apple filling:
- 200 g apple 1 large
- 200 g raisins mixture of golden or dark raisins
- 30 g butter
- 240 ml apple cider
- 30 g brown sugar
- ¼ tsp almond extract
Glaze:
- 125 g powdered sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp water or more as needed
- ⅛ tsp almond extract
For topping:
- 33 g Almond slices toasted, or more as needed
Instructions
Prepare the filling: (can be prepared the day before)
- Peel and core the apple. Cut into small cubes. Place the apple, raisins, butter, apple cider, and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let it simmer for about 30-35 minutes or until it reaches a jam-like consistency and no more runny liquid. Set aside to let it cool down completely before using
Prepare the dough;
- Add all ingredients for the dough in a bowl of a standmixer. Use the dough hook to stir the mixture a bit so the flour won't fly around when you start the mixer. Knead on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes and then increase to speed 2 and knead for 5-6 minutes until it forms a dough that is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky to the touch. It's going to be a soft dough. If your dough feels stiff and dry, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time.
1st proofing:
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until double in volume. if it's colder, it may take longer to proof the dough
Shaping:
- Prepare a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Lightly flour your work surface. Transfer the dough to a work surface. Knock out all the gas by giving the dough some kneading. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough our into a rectangle, measuring roughly about 10 x 30 inches (don't have to be exact). Brush the melted butter on the surface, leaving about 1-inch out along the edge. Combine the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle this on top of the dough surface. Spread the apple filling on the surface, leaving the 1-inch out
- Start rolling the dough up from the long side, like a jelly roll log. Pinch the seam to seal it
- Now, let shape it into a pretzel-like shape. Bring the dough into a U shape. Cross one leg over the opposite lower end, then do the same with the other leg. Pinching the end to seal or tuck it under so it won't come undone during baking
2nd proofing:
- Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or lightly oiled plastic wrap. Place at a warm place to let it proof again until it is really puffy. This may take 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the temperature
Baking:
- 10 minutes before the end of baking, preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven, 330 F (165 C) for convection oven. Position the oven rack in the middle
- Place the baking sheet on the positioned rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature at the center of the bread is at least 190 F (88 C)
Prepare the glaze and topping:
- I like to toast the sliced almonds on a dry pan over medium-low heat until just lightly golden brown and smell nutty, then let them cool down completely. You can skip if you don't want to
- 5 minutes before the end of baking, prepare the glaze. Mix all the ingredients. If it's too thick, you can add a few more drops of water. It should be thick but spreadable consistency, not too runny though
Glaze the bread:
- Remove the bread from the oven and carefully transfer it to a cooling rack. While the bread is still warm, glaze the bread by brushing with a brush or use a spoon to scoop the glaze and even it out all over the bread with the back of the spoon the best you can. Quickly decorate with almond slices before the glaze is set. Now let the bread cool down completely before serving
How to store the bread:
- Once the bread has cooled down completely, if unsliced, keep it at room temperature in a large plastic bag for bread, push all the air out and seal. Keep the sliced bread in an air-tight container to prevent them from drying out
- For longer storage, the bread can be kept frozen. Wrap the sliced bread well with plastic wrap and then put them in a freezer bag for double protection against freezer burn. They can be kept frozen for about 1 month. Simply thaw at room temperature and then reheat at 275 F (135 C) for about 5 minutes or until just warm through
RECOMMEDED TOOLS
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
How to bake krendl bread
1. Prepare the filling. You can do this the day or a few days before. Just keep it in the fridge until you need it. Peel and core the apple. Cut into small cubes. Place the apple, raisins, butter, apple cider, and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let it simmer for about 30-35 minutes or until it reaches a jam-like consistency and no more runny liquid. Set aside to let it cool down completely before using
2. Add all ingredients for the dough to a bowl of a standmixer. Use the dough hook to stir the mixture a bit so the flour won’t fly around when you start the mixer. Knead on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes and then increase to speed 2 and knead for 5-6 minutes until it forms a dough that is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky to the touch. It’s going to be a soft dough. If your dough feels stiff and dry, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until the dough is really puffy, almost double in volume. if it’s colder, it may take longer to proof the dough
4. Prepare a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface. Transfer the dough to a work surface. Knock out all the gas by giving the dough some kneading. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
5. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough our into a rectangle, measuring roughly about 10 x 30 inches (don’t have to be exact). Brush the melted butter on the surface, leaving about 1-inch out along the edge. Combine the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle this on top of the dough surface. Spread the apple filling on the surface, leaving the 1-inch out
6. Start rolling the dough up from the long side, like a jelly roll log. Pinch the seam to seal it
7. Now, let shape it into a pretzel-like shape. Bring the dough into a U shape. Cross one leg over the opposite lower end, then do the same with the other leg. Pinching the end to seal or tuck it under so it won’t come undone during baking
8. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or lightly oiled plastic wrap. Place at a warm place to let it proof again until it is really puffy. This may take 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the temperature
9. 10 minutes before the end of baking, preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven, 330 F (165 C) for convection oven. Position the oven rack in the middle. Place the baking sheet on the positioned rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature at the center of the bread is at least 190 F (88 C)
10. Remove the bread from the oven and carefully transfer it to a cooling rack. While the bread is still warm, glaze the bread by brushing with a brush or use a spoon to scoop the glaze and even it out all over the bread with the back of the spoon the best you can. 
10. Quickly decorate with almond slices before the glaze is set. Now let the bread cool down completely before serving
Did you make this krendl bread recipe?
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