Kliņģeris — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A large, sweet yeasted bread shaped into a figure-eight or pretzel, studded with raisins and almonds, glazed and fragrant with cardamom.

Ingredients

1 Dissolve yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Let foam 10 min.
2 Mix flour, sugar, cardamom, salt, and lemon zest. Add yeast mixture, eggs, and softened butter. Knead 12 min until smooth and elastic.
3 Fold in raisins and half the almonds. Cover and let rise 1.5 hours until doubled.
4 Punch down dough and divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into a long rope about 60cm.
5 Braid the three ropes together, then shape the braid into a large pretzel or figure-eight on a lined baking sheet.
6 Cover and rise 30 min. Brush with egg yolk, scatter remaining almonds and pearl sugar on top.
7 Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30-35 min until deep golden. Cool on a rack.

Did You Know?

A kliņģeris is the traditional Latvian name day gift — in Latvia, name days are celebrated as enthusiastically as birthdays.