Kringle

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɹɪŋɡəl/

Definitions

1. A sweet Scandinavian pastry typically shaped in a pretzel or oval form and filled with nuts or fruit
2. A traditional delicacy often made with flaky dough and various fillings, popular in Nordic countries
3. A baked pastry known for its distinctive twisted shape and rich, sweet fillings such as almond or fruit

Etymology: The pastry takes its name from a shape rather than a recipe: "kringle" is the Danish word for a ring, and it descends from Old Norse "kringla," meaning a ring or circle. The Old Norse word is itself tied to the idea of something curved around, so a kringle is literally a little circle of dough, twisted or looped into a ring. English speakers borrowed the term from Danish, where it names a family of ring-shaped pastries that are typically made with a laminated dough and filled or topped with almond paste, fruit, or icing. Because the word describes the form, the same name covers many variations, and the shape remains the constant feature across them.