Norway (12/1/14)
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Recipes contributed by Linda Herron.
Linda entertained us with stories of her ancestors and the history of Norwegian emigration, while demonstrating the making of delicate Sandbakkels and buttery Berlinerkrans. Try your hand at these tasty Norwegian holiday treats! Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more Norwegian recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2011. |
Sandbakkels
Ingredients:
½ c. butter
½ c. shortening
1 egg
1 c. sugar
1 t. almond extract (variation of flavors: 1 t. cardamom or ½ c. ground almonds)
3 c. flour
Method:
Cream ingredients and add flour. Press dough into sandbakkel tins. Be sure the dough is pressed very thin around the sides as well as the bottom. You may need to keep your fingers floured to work smoothly and quickly. Trim off any excess from top of tin and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350⁰, until golden. Slide the tins off the sheet, cool for a few minutes before tipping the cookie out. Hold the tin in one hand and gently press all the edges. The sandbakkel should drop out into your other hand. They are fragile. Using the old-fashioned tins you should get 58 sandbakkels.
½ c. butter
½ c. shortening
1 egg
1 c. sugar
1 t. almond extract (variation of flavors: 1 t. cardamom or ½ c. ground almonds)
3 c. flour
Method:
Cream ingredients and add flour. Press dough into sandbakkel tins. Be sure the dough is pressed very thin around the sides as well as the bottom. You may need to keep your fingers floured to work smoothly and quickly. Trim off any excess from top of tin and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350⁰, until golden. Slide the tins off the sheet, cool for a few minutes before tipping the cookie out. Hold the tin in one hand and gently press all the edges. The sandbakkel should drop out into your other hand. They are fragile. Using the old-fashioned tins you should get 58 sandbakkels.
Berlinerkrans
Here are two recipes for these delectable treats; the second one makes more, in case you're expecting a houseful of holiday guests!
Recipe 1:
Mix: 1 c. butter, soft
2 raw egg yolks (reserve whites)
1 t. cardamom
Mix: 2 cooked egg yolk (reserve whites)
1/2 cup plus 2 T. sugar
Combine both mixtures above with 3 c. flour. Use hands so it blends thoroughly.
Split the dough into 4 long rolls.
Refrigerate until cold. Take out one roll at a time. Cut off small amount of dough, roll it into the size of a pencil. Then curl it over into the shape of a wreath with ends crossed over “Q” fashion. Place on cookie sheet.
Whip leftover whites with a fork until foamy. Then, dip your fingers into foam and rub over the Q-shaped cookie. Sprinkle with sugar (crushed sugar cubes are the best).
Bake at 350⁰ for 7 minutes or until golden color.
Recipe 2:
Eleanor Anundsen of Decorah sent this recipe, which was handed down from her husband’s grandmother, Helma Anundsen. Helma’s husband, B. Anundsen, was founder (1874) and publisher of the Norwegian newspaper Decorah-Posten. In the 1920s, the Decorah-Posten had a circulation of 45,000. It was consolidated in 1972 with Western Viking of Seattle, Washington.
3 hard-boiled egg yolks
4 raw egg yolks
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
5 to 5 ½ cups flour
1 pound butter
1 egg white
Mash yolks of hard-boiled eggs. Add yolks of raw eggs, blending into a smooth paste. Add sugar, beating well. Add flour and butter alternately, using your hands. Roll pieces of dough to the thickness of a pencil, about three inches long. Shape each like a bow. Whip egg white and brush on top of each cookie. Bake at 350⁰ F. until light golden brown. Makes about seven dozen cookies.
Store in a cool place. Berlinerkranser also freeze well.
Recipe 1:
Mix: 1 c. butter, soft
2 raw egg yolks (reserve whites)
1 t. cardamom
Mix: 2 cooked egg yolk (reserve whites)
1/2 cup plus 2 T. sugar
Combine both mixtures above with 3 c. flour. Use hands so it blends thoroughly.
Split the dough into 4 long rolls.
Refrigerate until cold. Take out one roll at a time. Cut off small amount of dough, roll it into the size of a pencil. Then curl it over into the shape of a wreath with ends crossed over “Q” fashion. Place on cookie sheet.
Whip leftover whites with a fork until foamy. Then, dip your fingers into foam and rub over the Q-shaped cookie. Sprinkle with sugar (crushed sugar cubes are the best).
Bake at 350⁰ for 7 minutes or until golden color.
Recipe 2:
Eleanor Anundsen of Decorah sent this recipe, which was handed down from her husband’s grandmother, Helma Anundsen. Helma’s husband, B. Anundsen, was founder (1874) and publisher of the Norwegian newspaper Decorah-Posten. In the 1920s, the Decorah-Posten had a circulation of 45,000. It was consolidated in 1972 with Western Viking of Seattle, Washington.
3 hard-boiled egg yolks
4 raw egg yolks
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
5 to 5 ½ cups flour
1 pound butter
1 egg white
Mash yolks of hard-boiled eggs. Add yolks of raw eggs, blending into a smooth paste. Add sugar, beating well. Add flour and butter alternately, using your hands. Roll pieces of dough to the thickness of a pencil, about three inches long. Shape each like a bow. Whip egg white and brush on top of each cookie. Bake at 350⁰ F. until light golden brown. Makes about seven dozen cookies.
Store in a cool place. Berlinerkranser also freeze well.
Rosettes
Our attempt at frying rosettes met with some technical difficulties, most likely due to the oil not being hot enough, but the fried bits of dough still tasted yummy, even if they were glued to the irons! (See what rosettes are supposed to look like here).
Recipe from Grandma Hestnes
2 eggs 1 c. flour
¼ t. salt 1 c. milk
1 T. sugar good quality oil for frying
Beat eggs slightly with sugar and salt. Add milk and flour and mix only until smooth.
Heat rosette irons in oil before using (oil – 350⁰). Blot irons then dip hot iron into batter. (Careful not to let batter go over top of iron.) Return to oil. Keep iron completely submerged while frying.
Take rosette off of iron and lay on absorbent paper to remove excess grease. (If it hangs onto iron use a clean cloth in your hand to gently remove it.) Makes about 40.
Note: You can deep fry rosettes in lard, oil, or Crisco. Just use good quality or the cookies will taste from it. Also, temperature is very important. Test it by dropping a piece of bread 1” square into fat. It should be bubbling and toasting as soon as it comes up. Be sure your irons are hot as well or the rosette will fall of the iron.
Recipe from Grandma Hestnes
2 eggs 1 c. flour
¼ t. salt 1 c. milk
1 T. sugar good quality oil for frying
Beat eggs slightly with sugar and salt. Add milk and flour and mix only until smooth.
Heat rosette irons in oil before using (oil – 350⁰). Blot irons then dip hot iron into batter. (Careful not to let batter go over top of iron.) Return to oil. Keep iron completely submerged while frying.
Take rosette off of iron and lay on absorbent paper to remove excess grease. (If it hangs onto iron use a clean cloth in your hand to gently remove it.) Makes about 40.
Note: You can deep fry rosettes in lard, oil, or Crisco. Just use good quality or the cookies will taste from it. Also, temperature is very important. Test it by dropping a piece of bread 1” square into fat. It should be bubbling and toasting as soon as it comes up. Be sure your irons are hot as well or the rosette will fall of the iron.