A Northern European pastry introduced by monks in 13th century Denmark and, from there, spread throughout Scandinavia and the northern tier of states.  As the official state pastry of Wisconsin, found on all 26 University of Wisconsin system college and universities, they have evolved into several kinds of sweet, salty or filled pastries, all in the shape of a kringle. Its name derives from the Old Norse “kringla” meaning a circle or oval.