Æblekage (Danish Apple Cake)
Well, not really a cake. More similar to an apple crisp, but not. But excellent stuff.
3 lb apples - not too sweet
10 oz. sugar
10 oz. dried breadcrumbs
7 oz. butter
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease an ovenproof dish and line with a layer of breadcrumbs. Dot with lumps of butter, sprinkle with sugar to taste and cover with a thick layer of peeled and thinly sliced apples.
Repeat the procedure till all is used up. Finish with a layer of breadcrumbs. Press it all well together and dot with butter and bake for about 25-30 minutes. The apples must be well cooked. Cool the apple cake and turn it out of the form. When the cake is cold, decorate with whipped cream. You may also serve the cake lukewarm.
Kransekage (Almond Rings):
Mmmmmm …
Dough:
18 oz. (500 grams) almond paste
18 oz. (500 grams) powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons flour
3-4 egg whites
1/4 cup powdered sugar for kneading
Frosting:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vinegar
Preheat oven to 300.
Grease a baking sheet extra well with softened butter, and dust with finely ground bread crumbs. Mix almond paste and powdered sugar. Add egg whites and mix well. Place bowl in hot water and knead dough until it is lukewarm. Turn out on board sprinkled with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Let rest 10 minutes.
Knead 2 to 3 minutes, dusting your hands and the counter with the confectioners sugar instead of flour. Divide the dough into 18 pieces and roll each into a ball, slanting the palm of your hand downward toward the edge so that it “peaks” up in the center, kind of like a small hat. Bake the rings for 20 minutes, then cool on tray — do not remove the rings from the tray until cool. Mix the frosting ingredients and drizzle on top of each ring, placing rings on top of one another. These are served at Danish weddings.
Vanillekranse (Vanilla Wreaths)
If you have a cookie press, press these out into wreaths. If you don’t, roll out the dough and cut into cookies.
1 1/2 c. butter
2 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 T. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 c. finely chopped almonds
Preheat the oven to 325.
Cream butter and sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix until dough is smooth. Put dough in cookie press and press out onto greased cookie sheet (or roll and cut). Bake until slightly brown. Makes approximately 150.
Pebernødder (Pfeffernüsse)
1 c. butter
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
4 c. flour
1 T each: soda and powdered ginger
1/2 T. anise extract
1/4 T. nutmeg
1/2 T. each: salt, vanilla, and cinnamon
1/2 cup sorghum (molasses)
Preheat oven to 300.
Work all ingredients together and roll in tiny balls about the size of a nickel. Put on cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes. Quantity depends on size of the nuts. If you prefer these iced as the Germans do them, use the frosting in the recipe above, and dip these into the frosting when cool.
