Kliņģeris (Latvian Festive Ring Bread)
Kliņģeris is a large, sweet, braided yeast bread, often shaped like a pretzel or infinity symbol, traditionally made for celebrations like birthdays and name days in Latvia. It's enriched with butter, eggs, and often flavored with saffron, cardamom, and citrus zest, making it a festive centerpiece.
🧂 Ingredients
- 250 ml Warm milk
- 35 g Fresh yeast(or 15g instant yeast)
- 125 g Granulated sugar
- 500-600 g All-purpose flour(plus more for dusting)
- 0.2 g Saffron(a pinch (optional, for color and flavor))
- 125 g Unsalted butter(room temperature)
- 1 large Egg(room temperature)
- 2 g Salt(1/3 tsp)
- 0.5 tsp Cardamom
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- 200 g Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots)
- 1 large Egg(for egg wash)
- 30 g Unsalted butter(cold, for crumble topping)
- 2 tbsp Almond flour(for crumble topping (optional))
- 2-3 tbsp All-purpose flour(for crumble topping)
- 1 tbsp Granulated sugar(for crumble topping)
- 0.5 tsp Cinnamon(for crumble topping)
- 20 g Almond flakes(for decoration)
- to taste Powdered sugar(for dusting)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the leaven: Crumble fresh yeast into a bowl, add 1 tbsp sugar, half the warm milk, and about 200g sifted flour. Mix, cover, and let rest for 1-1.5 hours until bubbly.
- 2
Warm the remaining milk with saffron (if using) for a few minutes to color it yellow. Let it cool.
- 3
In a large bowl, combine the activated leaven, saffron milk, egg, remaining sugar, salt, cardamom, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix well.
- 4
Gradually add flour and the softened butter. Mix and knead until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add more flour if needed.
- 5
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Incorporate the dried fruit.
- 6
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- 7
Punch down the dough and shape it into long logs for braiding. Form into a pretzel or infinity shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- 8
Cover the shaped dough and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes while preheating the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- 9
Prepare the crumble topping: Combine cold butter, almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Rub together with your fingers until crumbly.
- 10
Brush the risen dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with almond flakes and the crumble topping.
- 11
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. If it browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
- 12
Let cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Using a kitchen scale for ingredients will ensure more consistent results.
- ✓The saffron is optional but adds a beautiful color and subtle flavor.
- ✓Ensure the butter for the crumble topping is cold for a better texture.
🔄 Variations
- Shape the dough into a simple loaf or ring instead of a pretzel.
- Omit the crumble topping and decorate with candied fruits or chocolate drizzle.