Krendel ~ Russian/ Ukranian Fruit Bread

Pin

Pin

Time for a challenge post! This month, for We Knead to Bake #34, the bread chosen was Krendel, which is a Russian/ Ukranian fruit bread baked during the festive months and other occasions. Since today is a holiday and I am feeling really lazy, I am not in a mood to type about the history of the bread as such, so you can hop on to Aparna’s post. 😉

This is an rich bread with a delicious fruit flavored jam filling. The first thing I loved about this bread was that there is hardly any sugar. The dough has honey for sweetness, just a little sugar is sprinkled in and the jam is super tasty – you can have it with your toast! I didn’t want to buy prunes to try this, so substituted it with some dates and absolutely loved it. Since I had halved the recipe and didn’t want to rip my bread, I just joined both the sides together. That’s why my bread looking like that, and I loved it for the shape! 😉

Pin

The dough was really crumbly, tasted like a biscuit and the filling was so apt for it. I sliced up the whole loaf in an hour’s time of baking it and gave it off to HD’s staff after reserving a few at home. I gave a big slice, cut into half to HD along with his cup of sulaimani, and he said, “I don’t want anything sweet.” (Very normal of him!) I just remarked, “Try eating it, it has figs, dates and apricot in it, you will like it, I am sure”. I kept the plate next to him and vanished into the kitchen to clean up the mess on the kitchen top. I came back to an empty plate, and he said it tasted so much like date rolls. 🙂

I prepared the jam filling two days in advance and stored it in the fridge. I almost burned it up but then thankfully the flame was so low, that it was just reaching that burnt stage. Hehe… All in all, it was a very satisfying bake. Off to the recipe…

Pin

Pin

Krendel ~ Russian/ Ukranian Fruit Bread

Course Bread

Cuisine International

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Rafeeda

Ingredients

• For the jam:
• 1/2 cup apple juice store bought
• 1 small apple cored and chopped
• 6 apricots chopped
• 3 large dried figs chopped
• 6-8 dates chopped
• 15 gm butter
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• For dough:
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 1 medium egg
• 2 tbsp fresh cream
• 25 gm butter softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + more as required
• Others:
• 10 gm butter
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• Chopped almonds as requested

Instructions

• For preparing the jam, combine all the ingredients except the cinnamon and cook on low flame till the whole mixture comes together in a mashed fomat. Keep stirring occasionally. Add in the cinnamon and mix. Allow to cool completely. This can be prepared in advance.
• For the dough, mix the yeast and honey into lukewarm milk and allow it to froth.
• In another bowl, add in the egg, cream, butter, salt and vanilla along with the frothed yeast mixture and whisk well.
• Add 1 cup of flour and mix well. Add the other part of the dough till it makes a slightly sticky dough. Add enough flour to make it sticky.
• Transfer onto a floured surface and knead for around 6 to 8 minutes till the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Keep in a well oiled bowl covered, till it doubles, around an hour and a half.
• Deflate the dough and spread into a rectangle. Spread the butter and sprinkle the sugar on top. Spread the jam over it, leaving an inch on the sides.
• Roll the dough and then bring the edges together, and seal them.
• Keep on an oiled baking pan and allow it to raise for another 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 degrees. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes till the top is browned.
• Cool the Krendel on a wire rack. Cut and serve!