What holiday season would be complete without an incredible variety of cookies and baked goods. In Norway, these are referred to as julekaker.

In the 18^th century, baked goods were not made in the home, but rather in bakeries and large farms that had access to large ovens. The concept of cookies and baked goods relating to Christmas did not exist at this time or before. In fact, little reference has been made to what was served during the holidays, but it would have included speciality goods served for other celebrations and high holidays throughout the year. Later, in the 19^th century and after the introduction of the household oven, baking became widespread and Christmas cookies and baked goods started to become defined, especially following the Second World War.

The term syv slag småkaker (seven types of cookies) refers to an old tradition of having seven different kinds of cookies in the tin as the number 7 was thought to bring luck and is an important religious number. There are many ideas as to which cookies fall into the original list, but it is generally thought that sandkaker, fattigmann, goro, berlinerkranser, sirupsnipper, and krumkaker should be on there.

To help you find inspiration for bringing some holiday sweetness into your kitchen, I have compiled a list of all of the Norwegian Christmas cookies / julekaker recipes you’ll find on my site. I’ll keep this list updated as more recipes are added. Happy baking!

Aniskringler (Anise Pretzels)

Berlinerkranser

Brune Pinner

Brunost Pepperkake Cake

Fattigmann

Glitre Kringle

Julekaker (Christmas Bread)

Kakemenn

Kling (Lefse) from Eksingedalen

Kling from Rollag

Kling from Uvdal

Krumkaker

Knekk-Kaker

Nordlandslefse / Hardangerlefse

Pepperkaker (Spiced)

Old Fashioned Pepperkaker

Pepperkaker Buns

Serinakaker

Smultringer

Snipp

Sandnøtter

Sirupskake

Sirupsnipper

St. Lucia Buns (Lussekatter)

Sugared St. Lucia Buns

Rømmebrød

Vepsebol (Meringue Cookies)

Vørterbrød (Wort Bread)

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Sirupsnipper are sweet and spicy, diamond-shaped Christmas cookies known as Norway’s answer to pepperkaker, or gingerbread. They date back to the 1600s and are referred to as one of the classic seven varieties “syv slagene” of cookies for jul.

They’re shape is a distinct diamond with fluted edges. Nestled in the center is half of a blanched almond; a bright jewel burrowed in it’s crown. They’re crispy and full of fragrant spices, the perfect holiday treat that will last a very long time in the cookie tin – that is, as long as they’re not eaten up beforehand!

Enjoy these crispy cookies reminiscent of gingerbread and feel free to halve the recipe as it does make plenty to get you through winter season.

Sirupsnipper

Makes around 100 sirupsnipper

• 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (200 g) Norwegian dark syrup “mørk sirup” or light molasses
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (112 g) butter
• 3 ¾ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 50 blanched almonds, halved lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the heavy cream, dark syrup, and sugar over medium heat. Add the butter and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat.  

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, pepper and baking soda and sift over the syrup mixture. Blend together to form a nice dough. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least three hours.

On a well-floured surface, take some dough and roll out to a thickness of about 1/5 cm (2 mm). Cut the dough on a diagonal into diamond shapes with a fluted pastry wheel or knife. Gently press the almond halves in the center of each sirupsnipper. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake in the center of the oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If the dough is taken out too early, they will be soft rather than crispy.

Store in a cookie tin at room temperature for a couple of weeks.

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Sandnøtter, “sand nuts”, are sweet and simple Norwegian Christmas cookies with a vibrant taste of vanilla. They’re often chosen as one of the syv slagene “seven types of cookies” baked during the holiday season. Sandnøtter are so light and airy, they literally melt in your mouth with a dry and crumbly burst from the potato starch in each bite.

These are wonderful cookies that all can enjoy and should certainly be a part of any holiday offerings. This recipe makes quite a few, so feel free to halve the recipe or give some away to loved ones.

Sandnøtter

*Makes around 80 sandnøtter

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (500 g) potato starch/potetmel
• 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoon vanilla sugar or 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamed and well combined. Add the egg, potato starch, flour, vanilla sugar or extract, and baking powder and form a smooth dough.  

Take a spoonful of dough at a time, roll each into a small ball with your hands. Using a fork, gently press down on top of each ball to flatten slightly and make a pattern.

Divide the cookies among the prepared baking sheet(s) and bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes. They should be light in color when you take them out. Cool on a wire rack.

Store in a cookie tin for a couple of weeks and enjoy!

*For more holiday baking inspiration, head here.

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The crowning jewel of all the holiday cookies has to be pepperkaker “gingerbread”. With its unmistakable shapes and irresistible flavor, this aromatic and playful treat transcends the cookie tin with some of the most versatile uses for the season. They’ll be hanging by twine and marked for each day as an advent calendar, adorning lit-up trees, featured in stories and tales, turned into elaborate, candy-laden houses and even entire cities – like the world’s largest one in Bergen. There’s just no denying the imprint this cookie has on the holiday season.

In Norway, the holiday season usually kicks off with a baking session of pepperkaker late in November and just in time for the first Sunday of Advent. Over the years, I’ve tried various recipes from old fashioned ones to ones with a hint of cocoa. For me, the standout is always the welcome of warm spices that hit you with every bite. Not subtle, but rather strong enough to awaken the senses so you can really taste the ginger, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper. I played around with my recipe to ensure the spices are really pronounced and the dough is super pliable and easy to work with. This is by far my favorite pepperkaker recipe to date.

The rich flavor from the spices and dark syrup is what makes pepperkaker so special. Each bite draws you in – bringing a little warmth to what could be a rather cold and dark season.

Spicy Norwegian Pepperkaker (Gingerbread Cookies)

Makes around 6-8 baking sheets full of cookies

• 1 1/3 cup (300 g) butter
• 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) Norwegian dark syrup “mørk sirup” or light molasses
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves “nellik”
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 6 cups (720 g) flour

In a large saucepan, melt the sugar, butter and syrup or molasses together.  Stir in all the spices and set aside to cool completely.

Once the mixture has cooled down, mix in the eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda and flour. Add this to the syrup mixture and combine to form a smooth and relatively firm dough.

Place the dough onto a large piece of plastic and wrap tightly. Flatten it slightly in a round or square shape to make it easier to roll out. Place in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Allow the dough to stand at room temperature for a little while before rolling out the dough.

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/5 inch or ½ cm (the thinner the dough, the crispier the cookie will be) and cut into shapes as desired. If you have a small surface to work with, divide the dough and roll the pieces out one at a time. The more the dough is worked, the easier it becomes to roll it out. Place the shapes on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

You can decorate the pepperkaker with icing or powdered sugar or anything else your heart desires. Store in cookie tins and enjoy!

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One of the most popular julekaker “Christmas cookies” in Norway are berlinerkranser. They are buttery and sweet, and a little indulgent just as one would expect from a holiday treat.

“Berlin wreaths”, as their name translates to, are thought to have possibly originated from a baker in Berlin. This, combined with their wreath shape, explains the reasoning behind the name.  They are also categorized as the type of baked goods that came to Norway in the 17^th century. Before ovens became mainstream in households, baked goods like these could only be bought from bakeries or large farms with their own baking oven.  

As I dug deeper into the origins of berlinerkranser, I came across two sources that stated they were called pepitakranser in Bergen during the war. Without any sources, it has been difficult to verify this. As I looked through various publications and cookbooks in the Norwegian National Library, I discovered many references to pepitakranser, from as far back as 1900. In a few instances, it was referred to as the “alternative” to berlinerkranser – one that is easier to make. The recipe for pepitakranser is very similar to berlinerkranser, but it does not include hard boiled egg yolks, rather the whole egg itself and it does not require refrigeration before shaping and baking.  

Whether you settle for berlinerkranser or pepitakranser, you’ll no doubt be satisfied either way. These wreaths should regularly, if not always, make an appearance on the holiday table.

Norwegian Berlinerkranser

Makes around 50 berlinerkranser

• 2 hard boiled egg yolks
• 2 raw egg yolks
• 2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 g) butter at room temperature
• 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour

For decorating

• 1 egg white
• Pearl sugar

In a small bowl, break down the hard boiled egg yolks with a fork and then blend together with the raw egg yolks. Place the yolks into a stand mixer and add the sugar, mixing on medium until light and fluffy. Add the butter and flour a little at a time and combine to form a smooth dough.

*To make without a stand mixer: mix together the yolks in a medium bowl, add the sugar and whisk by hand until light and fluffy. In a large bowl, blend the butter into the flour with your hands to form pea-like crumbs. Pour the yolk mixture on top and combine well to form a smooth dough.

Take the bowl with the dough inside, cover it with plastic and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and have ready a baking sheet or two lined with parchment paper.

Taking small pieces of dough at time with your hands, roll the dough into thin sausages – the same thickness as a little finger and around 4-5 inches (10-12 cm) in length – and form into an overlapped wreath shape. Repeat until you’ve used up all the dough.

Place the wreaths on the prepared baking sheet(s). Whisk the egg white and lightly brush the tops with the egg. Sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until light golden.

Let them cool on a cookie rack. When cool, store in a tin box.

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One of the great things about holiday baking is that everyone has their own traditions and favorites. Recipes which span for generations, recipes that cross continents, recipes that adapt and evolve in one’s own kitchen. Each recipe with a history and a story.

While sitting around a table with friends a few weeks back our conversation turned to holiday baking. In typical fashion for our area, most had plans to start off the season by making large batches of lefse. We discussed favorite cookies, like pepperkaker (gingerbread), kransekake (almond tower cake), and krumkaker (wafer cookies), to name a few. One friend, Anne Lise, turned to me, and with a broad smile and glitter in her eyes, told me that one of her favorite julekaker (Christmas cookies) is knekk-kaker.

The name immediately intrigued me. Anne Lise explained that ‘knekk’ refers to the caramel aspect of the cookie. As it bakes, the sugar and syrup melt and break down, giving these cookies their distinct caramel smell and taste. The oats almost fade away, providing bulk and substance rather than flavor. Knekk-kaker are thin and crispy, yet can be faintly chewy toward the center. They glisten with their caramel coat, and are elegant with their lace-like form.

Anne-Lise was more than happy to share her bestefar’s (grandfather’s) recipe for these delightful cookies so I could share them with you. They are simple to make and are also wonderful gifts to be  given out to friends and family.

Knekk-kaker go well with tea or coffee and would be divine dipped into a little melted chocolate.  The recipe makes about 48 cookies, and they are easily stored. If you wish to make a smaller amount, feel free to halve the recipe.

Anne Lise’s Bestefar’s Knekk-Kaker*

Makes about 48 cookies

• ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (160 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons (50 ml) Norwegian light syrup or golden syrup (Lyles)
• 3 tablespoons (50 ml) heavy cream
• 2/3 cup (150 g) butter, melted and then cooled
• ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 g) quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup (120 g) sifted, all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Blend all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Use a small spoon to scoop out a little of the dough and place it on the parchment paper. You should be able to fit up to 8 spoonfuls of dough at a time per baking sheet. Space them well, so they don’t cook into each other.

Place 1 baking sheet in the oven and bake the cookies for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. After 5 minutes, or when the cookies have stiffened, transfer them to a cooling rack.While the first batch is cooling, place the second baking sheet in the oven. Spoon more of the dough on the first baking sheet after you have transferred the cookies to the cooling rack. When the second batch of cookies are ready, take them out of the oven and put the newly prepared baking sheet in the oven. Continue this cycle until all of the dough is used up.

Store the cookies in a cookie tin or airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 weeks.

*Anne Lise’s bestefar’s recipe has been slightly modified in regards to the oven temperature and  to account for imperial measurements

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Arguably, the most aromatic and popular Christmas cookies in Norway are Pepperkaker. They stand out among all the other traditional cookies with their fragrant presence, crispy and inviting texture, and ability to transform into whatever shape or design or role the beholder so wishes.

Pepperkaker is more than just another cookie on the table. It’s a transformative dough of make-believe where dreams of candy houses and whole cities are an annual tradition, stories of runaway gingerbread men come to life, and windows and trees become a canvas for warm greetings and decorations.

Pepperkaker are considered a traditional Christmas cookie in Norway, although the idea and practice of Christmas cookies are relatively new traditions beginning in the 1800s. Even still, pepperkaker is one of the oldest cookies, having been in Norway for around 400 years.

During 1650, a crate of 200 tons of pepperkaker made its way along the roaring sea to the wharf at Bergen.

Its companions were other exotic goods. Lemons, saffron, bitter oranges (pomerans). It’s presumed they came from Germany as so many other baked goods were imported from there. A cookbook from the 1700s refer to pepperkaker as Nørnberger Peberkager. This is possibly a reference to the German city of Nürnberg, which has played an important role in the history of pepperkaker. (Ganens Makt)

Pepperkaker was enjoyed not only in Bergen, but made its way to Oslo (known then as Christiania) in 1660. Despite a popularity spreading throughout the country, pepperkaker and Bergen always shared a special connection, perhaps from that initial meeting. Ever year, the city of Bergen produces the world’s largest pepperkaker city, with schools and kindergartens adding to the incredible display of imagery and imagination.

Before the 1800s, it was common for bakeries and large farms to produce pepperkaker, since they had access to large ovens. After the introduction of the household oven, pepperkaker became widespread as it could be baked in the home.

With the tradition of Christmas cookies entering Norway alongside the introduction of the household oven, pepperkaker took their rightful place as a favorite iconic treat, best served thin and crispy with burnished edges.

Old Fashioned Pepperkaker

Ingredients:

• 400g (2 cups) sugar
• 200g (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) butter
• 80ml (1/3 cup) light syrup (*see notes below)
• 160ml dl (2/3 cup) heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cognac (optional)
• 4 teaspoons ginger
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 4 teaspoons cloves, crushed *
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 750-850g (6 -7 cups) flour

In a large saucepan, add the sugar, butter and syrup. Stir together and heat until melted. Set aside to cool.

Once the mixture has cooled down a bit, stir in the heavy cream and cognac, if using. Add the spices, baking soda and a little flour at a time to the mixture. Check the dough just before you have added 750g/6 cups flour. You want a smooth and relatively firm dough, so you may not use all of the flour.

Take the dough out of the pan, cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Allow the dough to stand at room temperature for a little while before rolling out the dough.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out pieces of the dough to a thickness of about 0.5 cm (even slightly less) and cut into shapes as desired. Place on a prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 10-12 minutes. You want the edges to brown a little and crisp up. Cool on a wire rack.

You can decorate the pepperkaker with icing or powdered sugar or anything else your heart desires. Store in cookie tins and enjoy!

Notes:

*Syrup in Norway is made from sugar beets, not corn. Therefore, I suggest substituting light syrup with a golden syrup (like Lyle’s Golden Syrup). It is possible to use corn syrup if you must, but light syrup in Norway is fairly thin and sweet with a taste of brown sugar. Alternatively, you can swap in molasses for a darker color and deeper taste. 

*I prefer to crush whole cloves rather than use ground cloves. Crushed cloves are more course, which gives some texture and a more pronounced flavor. Adds to that rustic feel

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The sound of wood crackling in the fireplace. A good friend stopping by for the day. The trickle of snow seen from the window. Folk music resounding and the smell of fragrant spices filling the air. The atmosphere seems too enticing, as if you could eat it all up. It can only mean one thing. Holiday baking has begun.

Quite recently I visited the Rollag Bygdekvinnelag, a wonderful group of ladies who meet throughout the year to swap stories, share meals, go on excursions, and maintain traditions, which have been shared and passed down through the women in the area. I was invited to look through some old cookbooks that had been kept within each respective family for generations. Some dated back to the 1800s and some were as recent as the 1970s. Mostly all were handwritten and well-used with smudges and small tears caressing the pages.

Pages filled with exciting and interesting recipes. Some still popular today, some forgotten, some a bit more unusual and some, perhaps, better left as ink on the page. With the holiday season fast approaching, a few of the traditional baked goods popped out at me. One of them being, sirupskake or syrup cake.

Sirupskake is a simple spice cake made with light syrup and is traditionally baked in a long pan or loaf tin. It is referred to as a ‘god gammeldags kake’, or a good old-fashioned cake. The kind of cake that tends to show up in cookbooks from grandmothers and great-grandmothers and has an aura of nostalgia around it. But hiding behind its simple exterior is a cake packed full of flavor.

The taste is reminiscent of gingerbread and closely related to krydderkake (spice cake) and molasses cake. Cloves, ginger, cinnamon and pepper give it that holiday touch.

While sirupskake is great on its own, especially served alongside a warm cup of coffee or tea, I think it deserves an exterior just as inviting as its flavor. I’ve given it a slight makeover and adjusted the recipe I found in one of the old cookbooks. Instead of a long pan or loaf tin, I turned it into a layer cake. And to give it that complimentary taste, a good portion of orange cream-cheese frosting is found within each layer. To top it all off, a crown of dusted, candied oranges. This is an elegant, yet rustic, cake and one that will definitely be a crowd pleaser. The edges are firm with a soft interior, although not moist, keeping with the classic texture of sirupskake. The flavor of orange compliments the spices perfectly and balances the whole cake. You can serve small slices as the cake is quite rich, meaning one layer cake should feed a small group.

Sirupskake (Layered Spice Cake with Candied Oranges)

(Makes one 4-layer cake with two cakes remaining)

Ingredients:

Sirupskake

(Makes six 6-inch cakes)

• 2 dl (∼1 cup) heavy cream
• 2 dl (∼1 cup) Norwegian light syrup or golden syrup
• 125g (4 1/2 oz) butter
• 2 eggs
• 300g (1 ½ cps) sugar
• 600g (5 cups) flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pepper

Candied Oranges

• 2 dl (1 cup) water
• 2 dl (1 cup) sugar
• 1 ½ oranges, cut into thin slices about ¼ inch

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

• 150g (2/3 cup) butter
• 250g (2 cups) powdered sugar
• 200g (7oz) cream cheese
• 2 tsp grated orange peel

*This recipe makes 6 small cakes. I used 4 in my layer cake and made a second smaller cake with only 2 layers. You can make as many layers as you wish but I found that more than 4 layers might make the cake topple.

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

In a saucepan, warm the cream, syrup and butter together over medium heat until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool.

In a large food mixer or bowl, cream together the eggs and sugar. Add the syrup mixture and combine.

Blend together all the spices, baking soda, and flour in a separate bowl. Add this to the syrup mixture and mix well.

Grease six 6-inch cake or tart tins. Divide the cake batter into each tin. Bake three tins at a time for 20-25 minutes (I found 22 minutes to be perfect for my oven). Let cool.

While the cakes are baking, prepare the candied oranges and orange frosting. Place the sugar and water in a large frying pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, place the orange slices in the skillet ensuring they do not overlap. Lower the heat and keep to a very low simmer, turning the slices occasionally. The white pith of the orange should become translucent after 30-40 minutes and the syrup will be thick. Turn off the heat and allow to cool in the pan.

To make the orange frosting, beat together the butter, powdered sugar and cream cheese until a nice frosting forms. Add the grated orange peel and fold into the frosting.

To assemble the cake, place one of the 6-inch cakes on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread a good layer of the orange frosting on top and place the second cake on top. Repeat this process until you have used 4 of the cakes. On the fourth and last cake, add a layer of frosting and place the candied oranges on top to decorate. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and sides of the cake.

Many thanks to the lovely Erin Haugen for helping me with the holiday baking. She also took the wonderful photos of me holding the cake and the candied orange! 

 More Holiday Baked Goods: 

Krumkaker with Juniper Cream and Espresso Cream

Fattigmann

Snipp

Lefse from Mollas Bakeri

Lefse (Kling) from Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst

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I pulled open the drawer and took out a small iron wrapped in a clear, plastic bag. Blackened with grease. The signs of wear and tear. Perhaps overuse. Love. I found this particular iron, known as a krumkakejern, hidden underneath serving trays and bread baskets at the local charity shop. It was hard to tell what it was from just looking at it. And the plastic bag did not do it any justice. But once I realised what it was, a smile crept across my face and my eyes grew wide with that giddy excitement you get when you’ve discovered something wonderful & hidden. And while it was no longer precious to its first beholder, I brought it home and tucked it away gently, waiting for December to come around. When I could bring my krumkakejern back to life.

Krumkake is simply a sweetened wafer cone. It’s one of the most classic, and oldest (according to Mat Fra Norge) Norwegian cookie eaten during the Christmas season.  The process is quite similar to making waffles. The batter is lightly poured in the krumkakejern/iron, which is then placed on top of a hot stove and turned to ensure both sides are cooked thoroughly. Each krumkakejern is embellished with an intricate design, leaving the krumkaker branded with an elegance that will fancify any old table.

Traditionally, krumkaker is served with whipped cream and berries, especially multekrem (cloudberries gently folded into whipped cream). But I wanted something a little more different and unique. Sometimes I sway from tradition. Sometimes I blend. Truthfully, I also didn’t have any cloudberries on hand.

I recently came across a luscious looking recipe by the delightful Imen, who writes the blog Farmette. Her recipe for gingerbread cake with marmalade and juniper cream made me do a double take. Juniper berries, known as einebær in Norway, are very common place here but are usually used in savory dishes. They are earthy, fresh and definitely conjure up images of winter in my mind. To see them used in a dessert was, nonetheless, inspiring. And so I thought, why not replace the typical, basic whipped cream with one infused with juniper as in Imen’s recipe. And since it’s that time of year for going a bit overboard, why not offer a second option of a sweet, espresso infused whipped cream. Lord knows this girl likes her cakes with her coffee. Thus, my traditional krumkaker had a double date with juniper and espresso. And the result? Well, let’s just say there will be more double dates in the future!

Now I have to be honest, while my krumkakejern had been around the block more than I could imagine, I was merely a krumkaker virgin. But I set to work knowing that I would have around 40 chances to make at least one right. Good chances, right? Sure, some came out a little more burnished than others and the thickness was possibly more than some would prefer. I like to think of them as rustic. And who doesn’t like rustic. All in all though, the taste was fantastic and the experience was dreamy.

There are a million and one versions of krumkaker out there. This is mine, a combination of many. A krumkakejern or traditional Norwegian iron, can be purchased quite easily online or from many home & kitchen stores. So don’t be dismayed if you don’t have one lying around, they are very accessible to purchase these days. You can also opt for an electric one, which reduces the overall cooking time.

Krumkaker with Espresso Cream & Juniper Berry Cream (Krumkaker med Kaffe Krem og Einebær Krem)

(Makes around 40 krumkaker)

Ingredients:

*The key to this recipe is that the eggs, flour, sugar & butter will all weigh the same

• 3-4 eggs (weighed on a scale – mine came to 200 grams, therefore I used 200 grams of flour, sugar & butter)
• flour
• sugar
• butter
• lukewarm water (half the weight of the other ingredients – in my case, 100 grams)
• krumkakejern or traditional Norwegian iron & cone shaped mould

Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Let cool. Place the eggs, flour, sugar, and melted butter in a food processor or blender and mix thoroughly. Add in the water and mix again. Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes.

Place the krumkakejern/iron on the stove over medium heat. Let it warm up. Alternatively, if you are using an electric iron, follow the manufacture’s directions for use.

When warm, add a little butter to grease the iron & prevent sticking, you only need to do this 2 or 3 times in the beginning. Place about 1 Tb of batter on the iron and close (to reach your desired krumkaker thickness, adjust the amount of batter). Cook for approximately 30 seconds on each side, or until light golden. As soon as they are finished cooking, wrap them around a cone-shaped mould & let set – this happens very quickly. Remove from the mould & set aside. Continue cooking until all the batter is used.

Espresso Infused Whipped Cream & Juniper Berry Infused Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups/ 500 grams heavy cream
• 1/2 cup espresso beans
• 1/4 cup dried juniper berries, crushed gently
• 1 tsp sugar

Place half of the heavy cream (1 cup/250g) in a clean jar with a lid & add the espresso beans. In a second jar, add the remaining cream & crushed juniper berries. Let both jars sit in the refrigerator overnight to infuse the flavors.

Strain the espresso beans over a bowl & do the same with the juniper berries in a separate bowl. Discard the beans & berries.

Add 1 tsp sugar to the espresso infused cream and whisk just until the cream reaches stiff peaks. Do the same for the juniper berry infused cream, but only add around 1/2 tsp sugar if desired.

Serve alongside or in the krumkaker. Enjoy!

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