Scandinavians have among the highest coffee consumption in the world, so it’s understandable that they have also created some of the best pastries, especially this light confection, which falls between a rich coffee cake and a rich pastry (a fine place to be if ever there was one). If desired, glaze the finished coffee cake.

Prepare:

Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 29 × 11 inches and about ⅜ inch thick. Trim any folded edges that might keep the dough from rising. Spread it with:

and starting from the short side, roll the dough into a cylinder. Bring the two ends of the roll together, and press to seal using a little water for glue. Lift the ring onto a greased baking sheet. With floured scissors held perpendicular to the roll, cut gashes 1 to 2 inches apart through the outer rim of the ring, cutting to within 1 inch of the inner rim. As you cut, turn each partially cut slice flat onto the baking sheet. Brush the top of the dough with:

being careful not to cover the cut portions, as the glaze could inhibit the rising of the dough. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 25 minutes.

While the coffee cake rises, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.