PREFACE

In Norway in older days (in some cases even today) it was almost a requirement that you should have 7 kinds of Christmas cookies for Christmas. After getting several questions about this tradition from family and friends in the US, I have chosen to create this little "cookbook".

I have therefore tried to collect some of my grandmother, mother and mother-in-law recipes. As you can see there are more than seven types, but traditionally all familys did not have all of the same types. Try them and select the type you prefere.

I have decided to keep the Norwegian names on the recepies in the page menu. I have done some translation in the different recips. All the messures are in metric and can easily be converted to US messurements.

Since baking is not my strongest point, some of the translations of some of the ingredients in the recipes may not be the ones used on a daily basis. The reason is that I have had to use the web to translate some Norwegian names into English.

NOTE

Some of the recipes use lard for cooking, and the risk of fire or burns if splashing may occur. In several of the recipes the dough can be difficult to handle and you should follow the instructions in the recipes.

PEPPERKAKE (GINGERBREAD)

Gingerbread is the most common in most homes in Norway for Christmas. In particular it is the children who are most fond of gingerbread, but they taste the well to a cup of coffee. It is also tradition in most homes in Norway that bakes and decorates gingerbread together with the children.

"PEPPERKAKE" DOUGH

* 150 grams Dairy Butter
* 1 decilitre syrup
* 2 grams sugar
* 1 deciliter Whipping cream
* 1/2 teaspoon cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 450 gram flour (approximately)

Procedure
For this recipe you will need gingerbread shapes. Remember gingerbread dough must be cold for a while before rolling pins and sticks it out, so it is best if you make it the day before.

Mix the butter, syrup, sugar in a boiler. Heat on medium heat until everything is completely melted. Take pan from the heat and cool the mixture slightly.

Stir in the cream. Visibility in spices, baking powder and most of the flour. The rest of the flour, stir into little by little until you get a smooth and fit firm dough. Let gingerbread dough stand cold the next day.

TIP: Feel the dough in a bowl where the inside is covered with plastic wrap or put the whole in a bread bag to make it easier to get out the dough once it has been cold.

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius (347 degrees Fahrenheit).

Knead the dough in a little flour on the table and roll it around 3 mm thick. Cut out different character cakes and bake 9-10 minutes until golden brown. Cool the cakes on a wire rack. Are you going to hang up the cakes, it is important to create a hole for the ribbon before puttig them into the oven.

TIP: Garnish gingerbread with icing. Here we have a small movie that shows how to make perfect icing.

TIP: Put the dough into a bread bag before you leave the rest cool, or dress the inside of a bowl with plastic wrap and have gingerbread dough in this. Then it will be easier for you to get out a bit and a bit of the hard, cold dough when starting utkjevlingen.

SMULTRINGER (Norwegian donuts)

Norwegian donuts are slightly different in taste, and usually slightly smaller than the American ones. A real donut to be fried in real lard, which means that the cooking of donuts can be a challenge (both in terms of heat during cooking and odor in the house). Lard becomes extremely hot so be optionally careful and do not let children participate.

"SMULTRINGER" DOUGH

* 3 pc. eggs
* 375 grams sugar
* 3 decilitre extra fat sour cream
* 2 decilitre single cream
* 50 grams Dairy Butter
* 750 grams wheat flour
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 2 teaspoon ammonium bicarbonate
* 1 kilogram lard for frying

Procedure

1. Whisk eggs and sugar well together.

2. Add the extra fat sour cream, single cream and melted dairy butter.

3. Sift in wheat flour, cardamom and corn salt. Gently stir together the dough.

4. Cover the baking bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

5. Bake the dough out to a 1 cm thick ladle on a well-floured surface. Use a donut stick to make the rings.

TIP: The small circles that are left over after you've punched out donuts can also be fried in lard. Fill them happy by injecting a little jam, and roll those in powdered sugar when they are properly cooked.

6. Heat lard in a pot to 180 degrees Celcius (356 degrees Fahrenheit). Bake rings light brown in lard. Cool the donuts on kitchen paper on a rack.

WARNING: The lard becomes extremely hot. Be careful. Do not have children in the immediate vicinity when cooking.
Never put water on hot grease and always have a lid ready to fit the pot.

BERLINERKRANSER

"Berlinerkranser" are one of my favorites when it comes to Christmas cookies. The sweet taste as well as the taste of real dairy butter make this cake so good. My grandmother always made this cake for Christmas and it was loved by both adults and children.

"BERLINERKRANSER" DOUGH

* 1 pc. hard boiled egg yolk
* 1 pc. raw egg yolk
* 60 grams sugar
* 125 grams Dairy Butter
* 175 grams wheat flour
* 1 pc. lightly whipped egg white
* 1 decilitre pearl sugar

Procedure

1. Mash the hard-boiled egg yolk into the raw egg yolk to mix well. Add the sugar and whisk it to an airy eggdose.

2. Crumble the butter in the flour (leave some flour). Mix in the eggdose. Do not stir more than necessary, as the dough can be difficult to work with.

3. Put the dough cool for a couple of hours.

4. Set the oven to 180 degrees Celcius (356 degrees Fahrenheit).

5. Sprinkle flour on the bench and roll out thin sausages, about 10 cm long, with the thickness of a small finger. Shape them as wreaths.

TIP: If the dough is too firm, you can add a small tablespoon of water or milk so that they do not crack easily.

6. Dip the wreaths in egg white and then transfer them into a bowl of pearl sugar.

7. Place the wreaths on a greased baking tray and bake in the center of the oven for about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.

TIP: The finished cakes should not be frozen, as they can be a bit chewy. But you can freeze the dough, and you can cook cakes as needed.

GORO

A special tool will be needed to make this cake. This is an "iron" similar to a waffle iron, but specially made for GORO. Goro is a sweet thin and flat cake that is cooked from a stir in this goro iron. I am not sure if goro iron is available outside Norway, but can at least be purchased online from eg. https://www.clasohlson.com/no/Wilfa-Goro-GM-1000-gorojern/p/Pr442290000

"GORO" DOUGH

* 1 pc. egg
* 180 grams sugar
* 1.75 decilitre whipping cream
* 125 grams sugar
* 500 grams wheat flour
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
* 325 grams Dairy Butter

Procedure

1. For this recipe you will need a goro iron.

2. Whip the cream cream stiff. Whisk eggs and sugar to eggdose and bring in the cream. Crumble in the butter in the dry ingredients (hold some wheat flour for baking) and mix it in the eggdose / cream mixture. Let the dough cool for at least 2 hours.

3. Roll out the dough and cut in chuncks according to the size of your goro iron. Fry the cookies light golden and crispy. Cool on a rack and store in a tight box or freezer.

TIP: Make a pattern of the goro iron on a cardboard sheet and place it over the rolled blade. Just roll a little dough at a time.

BRUNE PINNER

Translated, "brune pinner" simply means brown sticks. This is my grandchilderens favorite. When you start eating brown sticks, it is difficult to stop (for most people). This is one of those cookies I think must be included among the seven (at least at our house).

"BRUNE PINNER" DOUGH

* 200 grams room-temperature butter
* 200 grams sugar
* 1 pc. raw egg yolk
* 1 tablespoon light syrup
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 300 grams wheat flour

Brush and sprinkle:
* 1 pc. light whipped egg
* 1 decilitre pearl sugar
* 1 decilitre chopped almonds

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celcius (347 degrees Fahrenheit) using hot air. Place baking paper on two baking trays.

2. Stir in butter and sugar well together. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, but be sure to keep some of the flour for adjustment along the way.

3. Quickly knead the dough and divide it into 6 items. Roll each item into a thin sausage and lift over the baking tray. Press out to about 4-5 mm thickness with your fingers.

4. Brush with eggs and sprinkle on sugar and chopped almonds. Fry the cakes high in the oven for approx. 12-14 minutes.

5. Cut into 1.5-2 cm wide rods on a slant while warm. Cool completely on a rack.

SERINAKAKER

Recipe for classic "Serinakake", which is one of the seven kinds of Christmas. In addition to tasting very good, they are also very easy to make. The recipe gives approx. 24 cakes.

"SERINAKAKER" DOUGH

* 250 grams wheat flour
* 2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoon vanilla sugar
* 150 grams Dairy butter
* 100 grams sugar
* 1 pc. egg

Brush and sprinkle:
* egg
* pearl sugar
* chopped almonds

Procedure

1. Sift together flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar. Crumble in the butter.

2. Add sugar and whisk eggs. Work the dough lightly and roll it out into a long sausage.

3. Cut small pieces and roll them into even balls. Place the balls on baking paper and press them down a little in the middle with a fork to create a pattern on top.

4. Brush with eggs and sprinkle on almonds and pearl sugar. Fry the cookies at 190 degrees Celcius (374 degrees Fahrenheit), in the middle of the oven, until golden.

5. Let them cool on a rack.

SIRUPSNITTER

Syrup snippets are among the Christmas baking and are for many a symbol of Christmas. Crisp and good Christmas cookies, which have a long shelf life. A serving of this recipe gives approx. 100 syrup slices.

"SIRUPSNIPPER" DOUGH

* 1.5 decilitre whipping cream
* 150 grams sugar
* 150 grams dark syrup
* 100 grams butter
* 450 grams wheat flour
* 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground anise
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Brush and decorations:
* 1 pc. egg whites
* 100 grams scalded almonds

Procedure

1. Heat up to cream, syrup and sugar until it boils. Put in the butter and cool the mixture until lukewarm.

2. Sieve in the dry ingredients. Kneaded the dough well together.

3. Put the dough in a bowl with a lid or a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celcius (347 degrees Fahrenheit). Prepare a baking tray or two with baking paper.

5. Roll the dough into a thin ladle, about 2 mm. Cut out snips, (approx. 5cm x 5cm) use a long ruler and a baking tray. Place syrupy slices on baking tray.

6. Scalded almonds. Lightly whisk egg white with a fork. Brush a small flap in the middle of the egg white shreds and place half a scalded almond on each syrup slice.

7. Bake in the middle of the oven for approx. 5 minutes until golden. Cool the cookies on the rack.

DELFIAKAKE

This is a cake that is basically made with "delfiafett" (coconut fat shortening) and dark chocolate. It was something that was found in most homes for Christmas, but since it is not one of the healthiest cakes, many people do not make it anymore. But it tastes very good.

"DELFIA KAKE" HOW TO MAKE IT

* 250 grams dark chocolate
* 250 grams coconut fat shortening
* 4 tablespoon strong coffee

* 2 pc. egg
* 3 tablespoon sugar

* 1/2 packet of sweet biscuit (plain)

* 200 grams marzipan
* 200 grams jelly tops/fruits

Procedure

1. Make strong coffee and set it aside.

2. Keep coconut fat shortening in a saucepan on low heat until melted.

3. Add chocolate and let it melt with the fat. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

4. Whisk eggs and sugar for egg dose.

5. Stir in melted coconut fat shortening and chocolate - a little at a time. The chocolate mass should be glossy and chewy when everything is whipped.

6. Then add 4 tablespoons of strong coffee and mix everything well.

7. Dress a shape with aluminum foil. Lay the chocolate layer layered with biscuits, marzipan and jelly tops in the mold. Chocolate pulp at the bottom and top.

8. Cool the "delfiakaken" until it is stiff, preferably overnight.

9. Decorate the cake with jelly tops, chocolate tops and possibly marzipan as desired.

10. Cover the cake and keep it cool until it is eaten.

11. It is important that the biscuit used in the cake is a sweet plain biscuit that has no form of filling.

FATTIGMANN

"Fattigmann" (translated "poor man"), also called Fattigmannsbakkels, is one of the traditional seven kinds of Christmas. This cake probably came to the Nordic countries in the late 1700s or early 1800s. The name Fattigmann is somewhat misleading as the ingredients in this cookie were both expensive and exclusive in old days. One claim is that they were broke from baking these. A serving of this recipe gives approx. 40 cakes.

"FATTIGMANN" DOUGH

* 1.5 decilitre sugar
* 10 pc. raw egg yolk
* 1.5 decilitre whipping cream
* 0.5 decilitre cognac
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 600 grams wheat flour
* 3 packet lard for boiling

Procedure

1. Put sugar and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk well to a light egg dose.

2. Whisk the cream.

3. Gently stir in whipped cream and cognac in the egg dose.

4. Add cardamom and wheat flour, leaving some of the flour to the baking. Stir together well.

5. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or until the next day.

6. Roll out thin loaves on a floured baking table, small portions at a time. Use a ruler or cardboard template and cutter to cut out squares of approx. 5 cm * 10 cm. To make the distinctive poor man's cake, cut a longitudinal section in the middle of the snip, and gently pull one end of the snip through the hole.

7. Heat the lard in a kettle with a lid to 180 degrees Celcius (356 degrees Fahrenheit). If you do not have a thermostat you can check the temperature by inserting a wooden spoon into the boiler, when it is milled around it is crumbly warm enough. Make sure the flour does not get too hot during cooking. Do not put more poor man in the boiler than you can care for. Turn the cakes as they float, and cook until light brown. Fish the poor man cakes with a wooden spoon or fork, allow the fat to drain slightly before the cakes are cooled on a griddle with kitchen paper or newsprint underneath.

TIP: Lard can be used more than once. If you make several cakes with lard, the same lard used again.

WARNING: The lard becomes extremely hot. Be careful. Do not have children in the immediate vicinity when cooking.
Never put water on hot grease and always have a lid ready to fit the pot.

HJORTETAKK

These delicious Christmas cakes may look like donuts, but is firmer and crisper in texture than their rounder sisters. For many, "hjortetakk" is one of the seven types of Christmas.

"HJORTETAKK" DOUGH

* 4 pc. egg
* 250 grams sugar
* 150 grams Dairy butter
* 0.5 decilitre cognac
* 1 teaspoon ammonium bicarbonate
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 600 grams wheat flour
* 1 kilogram lard for boiling

Procedure

1. Whisk the egg dose of eggs and sugar. Melt the butter and cool slightly, mix in the egg dose. Mix in cognac and cardamom. Stir ammonium bicarbonate in half of the flour and stir the mixture into the egg dose. Leave the dough cold and covered until the next day.

2. Use the rest of the flour for baking. Work with a little dough at a time and shape it into finger-thick rings. Cut three bevel notches in each ring.

3. Bring out a casserole, preferably an iron casserole if you have, and use so much lard that the cakes will be covered. Cook the "hjortetakk" golden brown in the warm crumbs. Check that the crumb is warm enough by sticking a wooden stick into the pot. When it sizzles around the stick, may cakes loaded. Make sure the lard not get too hot during cooking.

4. After cooking, allow the fat to drain slightly before the cakes are cooled on a griddle with kitchen paper or newsprint underneath.

WARNING: The lard becomes extremely hot. Be careful. Do not have children in the immediate vicinity when cooking.
Never put water on hot grease and always have a lid ready to fit the pot.

INGEFÆRNØTTER

This traditional Christmas cookie has a great taste of spices and lemon. A nice little gift if you are going on a Christmas visit.

"INGEFÆRNØTTER" DOUGH

* 250 grams raw sugar
* 180 grams light syrup
* 1 decilitre whipping cream
* 130 grams butter
* 1 pc. Lemon (grated peel and juice)
* 450 grams wheat flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius (356 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Heat sugar, syrup, cream and butter until it boils and cool the mixture. Stir in lemon juice. Mix the lemon peel, flour, ginger and baking powder and stir it into the syrup mixture. Stir together into a dough.

3. Roll the dough into "sausages" which are divided into evenly sized items. Shape for bullets. Place the balls on the baking paper-lined baking sheet. Fry the ginger nuts light brown in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes.

4. Cool on a rack and store the cakes in a tight box.

SANDKAKE

Recipe for the classic sand cakes. This is one of the truly traditional Christmas cookies, which for many are included in the seven varieties for Christmas. These cookies are delicious served with cloudberry cream, vanilla cream or simply raspberry or strawberry jam and cream. For this cake you need sand cake molds. These are relatively small shapes (about 6-7 cm wide and 2 -3 cm deep). See the picture for how the cakes looks.

"SANDKAKE" DOUGH

* 200 grams Dairy butter
* 250 grams wheat flour
* 100 grams Almonds scalded and ground
* 1 pc. egg
* 100 grams sugar

Procedure

1. Crumble butter and flour. Add almonds, eggs and sugar. Work the dough together and let it rest for an hour in the refrigerator.

2. Set the oven to 175 degrees Celcius (347 degrees Fahrenheit) and prepare your "sandkake" molds. Grease the molds with the melted butter and sprinkle some semolina grits. Shake out the excess that does not adhere to the butter. Then the sand cakes should easily slip out of the mold. Or spray with molded grease.

3. Press the dough into the molds. Fry the cookies in the middle of the oven for 10-15 minutes, and allow them to cool slightly in the molds before putting on a rack.

4. Store in a tight box or in the freezer.

SANDNØTTER

SANDNØTTER (translated "sandnuts") are traditional Christmas cakes, which are relatively easy to make and which for many are among the seven kinds. They have a very porous texture, due to the large amount of potato flour in the dough, and they almost melt on the tongue. The recipe gives approx. 60 cakes.

"SANDNØTTER" DOUGH

* 250 grams butter
* 150 grams sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
* 1 pc. egg
* 450 grams potato flour
* 150 grams wheat flour

Procedure

1. Set oven to 180 degrees Celcius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) and cover baking sheets with baking paper.

2. Whisk the egg together. Whisk butter and sugar airy and white and stir in the whisked egg.

3. Sift in the dry ingredients and knead until you get a firm and fine dough.

4. Roll out "sausages" of the dough that you divide into small and equally sized pieces. Roll out small balls that you place on the baking tray. Place approx. 20 sand nuts on each tray.

5. Fry the cookies in the middle of the oven at 180 degrees Celcius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for approx. 10 minutes. The sand nuts should still be light (almost white) when done. Cool on the plate and store the Christmas cookies in a tight box.

KRUMKAKE (Norwegian wafer cone)

Krum Cakes are one of the Christmas classics. Yet is Krum Cakes served year round either as an accompaniment to coffee coziness or dessert served with such cloudberry cream or a fresh salat of berries. This recipe provides approximately 35 crunchy good wafer biscuits so Grandma would have made them.

"KRUMKAKE" HOW TO MAKE IT

* 4 eggs
* 250 gram sugar
* 250 gram Dairy Butter, melted
* 250 gram wheat flour
* ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

How to do it:

1. You need a Krumkake iron (search "krumkake" on english wikipedia or go to: https://chefschoice.com) and possibly a curved cake stick.

2. Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy. Stir in the butter, flour and cardamom. Let the batter swell for about 1 hour.

3. Add a large teaspoon stir in the middle of the hot iron. Bake cakes golden yellow at low heat.

4. Shape into cones around a curved cake stick quickly while the cake is still piping hot. If you want to sculpt cakes to strull (a straight pipe), use a stick and roll the cake around. You can also add the cakes over a cup. You will receive a form that you can fill with cream and often fresh berries, or whatever you want.

5. Keep curved cakes in tight box.

6. Be careful, the cakes are fragile. If you drop box will probably have only crumbs.

JULEKAKE

"Julekake" is a traditional cake shaped like a bread. The cake is sweet and contains raisins. Many have also been successful in the cake, but there has never been any success in my family. The cake is cut into slices and eaten with dairy butter and brown cheese on it.

"JULEKAKE" DOUGH

* 2,5 decilitre water
* 2,5 decilitre milk
* 1200 grams wheat flour
* 250 grams sugar
* 250 grams Dairy Butter
* 10 grams ground cardamom
* 7 grams salt
* 100 grams fresh yeast
* 450 grams raisins

Procedure:

1. Stir the yeast into the water and milk. Add the rest of the ingredient (except the raisins) and knead the dough well in the kitchen machine.

2. The dough is finished kneaded when smooth, and "release" the edges of the kneading bowl. Add the raisins and gently knead them into the dough - at a low speed on the kitchen machine.

3. Let the dough rest / raise in the kneading bowl for about 30 min.

4. Take the dough out on the table and divide it into 5 equal parts (5 x about 550 grams)

5. Shape the dough into round or oblong Christmas bread and place it on a baking tray with baking paper. Cover with a cloth and allow to rise to about double size.

6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) and brush the Christmas bread with eggs.

7. Put the Christmas bread at the bottom of the oven, lower the temperature to 175 degrees Celsius (347 degrees Fahrenheit) - and bake for about 20-22 minutes. (May vary from oven to oven). Cool on wire rack.

VØRTEBRØD

Vørtebrød belong to Christmas for many in Norway. The good spice scent that spreads in the house when the herb bread is fried gives Christmas spirit. The taste is sweet and good, and for me personally, nothing can be compared with a slice of vørtebrød with dairy butter and brown cheese (or just dairy butter for that matter).

"Vørtebrød" contains Norwegian "vørter beer". This I am not sure if this exists in the US. The definition of "vørter beer" in Vikipedia is: "Vørter beer" is an alcohol-free drink made from water, malt and hops and added carbonic acid. In principle, the "vørter beer" are beer that has not been through fermentation and therefore retains its sweetness.

"VØRTEBRØD" DOUGH

* 500 grams sifted rye flour
* 1 teaspoon ground anise
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon ground pepper
* 3 decilitre milk
* 1 decilitre dark syrup
* 50 grams fresh yeast
* 3,3 decilitre "vørter beer" (one bottle)
* 500 grams wheat flour
* 2 decilitre raisins

Procedure:

1. Mix the rye flour with half the wheat flour. Add anise, coriander, cloves and pepper. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk with added syrup. Add the "vørter beer" and stir the lukewarm liquid into the flour mixture.

2. Knead the dough well and add more wheat flour until the dough releases the bowl and is firmly firm. Cover with plastic and raise the dough in a warm place until it reaches double size, approx. 1 hour.

3. Set the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit). Find a baking sheet that you have greased or have it on baking paper.

4. Divide the dough into two or three equal pieces. Knead raisins and shape into round or oblong breads. Place the breads on the greased oven plate and leave to rise for approx. 30 minutes. Fry the breads in the bottom of the oven for about 40 minutes.

TIP: If you brush the "vørtebrød" with water as they are taken out of the oven, they become glossy on top.