11. December - Traditional Norwegian Christmas cakes

Where to begin. I think I'll write about at least 3 different types: Serinakaker (Serina cake), Berlinerkranser (Berliner wreath), and Nøttetopper (nut tops). 

I'll start with Serinakaker. I simply love this little cake. Quite a charming little thing

 250 gr wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
150 gr butter
100 gr sugar
1 egg

Sift together the flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar, and crumble the butter in. Add the sugar and beaten egg. Knead thoroughly and roll into a cylinder. Cut slices and shape into small balls. Place on the baking tin, and press down gently with a fork. Brush with egg and sprinkle with chopped almonds or coarse sugar. Bake at 175°C.  

That is one tasty bugger! <3

Next one is Berlinerkranser, taste a bit the same as Serinakaker, but its not the same dough. 

4 hard boiled egg yolks, cooled
4 raw egg yolks
1 c. plus 2 tbsp. sugar
4 1/2 c. regular flour
4 1/2 sticks butter

Mash 4 hard egg yolks and mix with 4 raw yolks until smooth. Add sugar and beat well, alternately add flour and butter; knead until smooth (using hands). Chill 1 hour.Pinch off lump of dough and roll on canvas covered lightly floured board to thickness of little finger (like a pencil). Cut into 5 inch length, cross end over to make wreath.

TOPPING:

4 slightly beaten egg whites
1/2 lb. sugar lumps, coarsely crushed (I use hammer & bag), need to be lumpy

Dip cookies into egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Lay on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees until light tan, not too dark, about 10-12 minutes. If you cut in 5 inch lengths, this makes about 100. 

 

Quite good this too, and VERY popular to make for Christmas!

Now its time for the best of the best, the Nøttetopper/Nøtteroser.

These are the ones that gets eaten first...

 

Ingrediences

 

100gr of hazelnuts, minced

110gr sugar
1 egg white

25gr of margarine, melted
whole hazelnuts for decoration

This is how you do it:

Mince the nuts and melt the margarine. Mix the nuts with sugar, egg white and at last melted margarine. Let the mixture set, and swell for at least 1 hour.

The dough is placed with a spoon or a piping bag, and put a whole nut on top of every cake.

The cakes are baked in the middle of the oven for about 14 min on 170ºC.

Tip: You can mix almonds and hazelnuts or just use almonds. If you want to you can decorate the cakes with chocolate stripes.

Enjoy!
-Solveig Angelica