KRUMKAKE (1860's)
Traditional Norwegian crisp, cone-shaped cookie. There are many recipes, each slightly different—but all follow the same technique. My recipe comes from Stavern, Norway and my maternal grandmother—who had it from her mother’s family. It has had many alterations through the years and across the ocean
Traditionally, krumkake were made, one at a time, on stove-top irons that imprinted a pattern. However, in recent years, it has been possible to buy a special electric griddle that permits doing two cookies at a time. The hot “pancake” is then wrapped around a wood rolling cone to give it shape.
Sounds complicated to do but is dead easy.
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Ingredients
4 –5 eggs
Equal Weight of flour & butter
Slightly less weight of sugar
Cardamom (the original amt. is large because it isassumed that you were pounding those little cardamom seeds—I use abt
½ tsp. Ground cardamom
Norwegian forebears also added ½ teacup of water for crispiness-I don’t (but I add 2 Tbl cornstarch for the same reason)
Directions
Melt butter and set aside to cool.
Beat together the eggs and sugar, then add melted butter.
Work in sifted flour and cardamon (also cornstarch if you use it).
If you use a bit of water, add it now.
Heat the krumkake griddle and add the batter with a small spoon (actually, its a good idea to use
two spoons: one to scoop batter and one to scrape it onto the griddle)
Close the griddle lid and let it heat up for ± 30 seconds (you’ll quickly determine a correct timing)
Once done, remove with spatula and immediately roll around a cone-shaped wooden block (or the handle of a wooden spoon).
Set aside to cool.
This recipe makes 40-50 krumkake, depending on the number of eggs and basic weight. Store in a tightly closed box.
Krumkake may be served with whipped cream & preserves (I like cloudberry jam). Americans often fill the krumkake with the cream & preserves.