Vyborg pretzels

Name: Vyborg pretzels (Viipurin rinkelit)
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 90 g/3½ oz/7 tbsp butter; 75 g/3 oz/scant ½ cup plus 2 tbsp sugar; 5 ml/1 tsp ground cardamom; 2.5 ml/½ tsp ground nutmeg; 5 ml/1 tsp saffron threads; 2.5 ml/½ tsp salt; 1 packet easy-blend (rapid-rise) dried yeast or 25 g/1 oz fresh yeast; 1 packet easy-blend (rapid-rise) dried yeast or 25 g/1 oz fresh yeast; 1 packet easy-blend (rapid-rise) dried yeast or 25 g/1 oz fresh yeast; 60 ml/4 tbsp lukewarm water; 2 eggs, beaten; 175 g/6 oz/1½ cups plain (all-purpose) flour; 1 egg yolk; 30 ml/2 tbsp milk

Viipurin rinkelit

Preparation info

Makes
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Food and Cooking of Finland

By Anja Hill

Published 2007

About

This recipe is a speciality from the Karelian region, which is now part of Russia, and is named after the province’s major town, Vyborg. The pretzels are made with a sweet, spiced dough and are formed into a distinctive round shape. You can make them whatever size you like.

Ingredients

175 ml/6 fl oz/¾ cup milk
90 g

Europe
Finland
Snack
Vegetarian
Nordic

Method

Put the milk in a pan and heat gently until just warm to the touch. Put the butter, sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron and salt in a large bowl, then pour over the milk and stir to mix. Leave to cool until lukewarm.
In a large bowl, blend the dried or fresh yeast in the lukewarm water. Stir until the yeast has dissolved, then add the milk mixture and eggs.