Kringle love

As a chef-in-training, it takes a lot to please my husband's palate. He comes home from culinary school each day with a newfound appreciation of some peculiar French cooking method that I'm pretty sure isn't even practiced in France anymore. Dining out together has become more of an educational session than a pleasurable date, and there is always a dish that would've been perfect "if they'd just added a little salt." Nothing is ever, ever, spot on.

Unlike me, however, he's usually a little more forgiving with pastries. Perhaps it has something to do with baking being just a mere elective in his culinary curriculum. Whatever it is, I know that I can always make him smile with just the right amount of sugar (pun intended). And just last week I discovered a dessert that nearly burst his pastry lovin' heart with joy. Danish kringles.

Little did I know that he'd express such excitement when the FedEx man dropped off a pizza-sized box with the words "Racine Danish Kringle" printed on top. He ran upstairs, tore off the packaging and dove right in. In fact, he was in such a rush to taste the delicate cherry-filled pastry, that I don't even think he noticed its festive heart-shape, or the miniature box of Valentine chocolates that he immediately flung to the side.

After finishing half of the kringle, he explained that its one of his all-time favorite pastries. Apparently it had been a long while since he'd eaten one. Dessert diva that I am, the love-inspired treat was admittedly my first kringle experience. Aside from its perfectly flaky dough, my favorite part was the pale pink icing (more for its color than flavor). The cherry filling was just enough to satisfy a sugar craving without being overtly sweet, and the filling to dough ratio couldn't have been better (no sticky stuff oozing out the sides with this one). I was happy to learn that kringles can be refrozen and enjoyed again later, but quickly realized that, at least in this household, they are to be enjoyed immediately.

This article was first published on Examiner.com.