Syttende Mai celebration weekend is drawing to a close today, but no series of posts about Norwegian-American heritage would be complete without a few words about baking.

Our home was never without baked goods.  My mom was a very talented baker.  Her pies were flaky and wonderful.  Our bread was always homemade.  The cookie jar was never empty.  While Norwegian-American treats were usually associated with the Christmas holidays, we generally had at least some of those on hand year round, too.

I'll start with a short video tribute to her baking.  If you're not of Norwegian descent, some of the words may be unfamiliar to you.  I'll clear up any confusion with some recipes and explanations following the video.

Very few people would remember my mom without remembering her baking.  She was well-known for her expertise in my hometown.  People ordered Christmas baking from her for many years.  Some time after the first of November each year, the tins of Norwegian goodies began to pile up, waiting for customers to stop by and pick up their favorites.

Norwegian Baking Is About Simplicity and Presentation

One of my early life lessons was about simplicity and resourcefulness, especially in the kitchen. Creating a welcoming home and a bountiful table was never about how many things you might have; it was about how many ways you could use the things you had and making them each look wonderful in their own way.  

Therefore, it's no surprise that most Norwegian baking recipes feature the same basic ingredients or at least are reliant on basic pantry staples.  There was no running to the store to get something you might need for a recipe in days gone by.  You used what you had on hand.  I think Norwegian-American bakers are particularly skilled at using their standard provisions in a variety of ways.  

The investment was not in the ingredients.  It was in the equipment and baking tins used.  Those specific tools are generally handed down from generation to generation.  For instance:

• Sandbakkels are made in tins.

• Krumkake (Mom spelled it "krumkage"--I think the difference is regional), also called "strul," is made on an iron designed just for that purpose.

• Rosettes are deep fried on rosette irons.

• Fattigmand, translated as "poor man's cakes" are made from dough cut with a pie crust edger or a fattigmand cutter and also deep-fried.

• Spritz require a cookie press.

• Lefse--once rolled out and grilled in pans or right on top of a wood stove by our grandmothers--now has a plethora of equipment designed especially for its production. Most lefse bakers today have a lefse grill, a turning stick, a grooved rolling pin and a round pastry cloth.

Today I want to show you how to make the first four Norwegian treats from that list.

How to Make Sandbakkels

Sandbakkels, also called sandbakelse, or "sandcakes" as my mom referred to them for her non-Norske speaking friends, are a cookie tart that have a sandy texture.  They are simple to prepare, but you need the sandbakkel tins to make them.

The art to a good sandbakkel is in pressing the dough into the tins.  Too thin and they crumble easily.  Too thick and they're not crispy.  Too much dough in the bottom corners and the texture isn't the same throughout.  As with all things, it simply takes practice.  

I discovered something called a tart press recently, too.  It's essentially a wood dowel with the bottom rounded to the shape of the tin which you use to tamp the dough down.  Personally, I'd rather just use my fingers. I'm pretty sure fingers are faster anyway, at least once you've done it a few hundred times.

Sandbakkels Recipe-Mom's Version

• 1 c butter & 1 c sugar, mixed well

• Add 1 egg & 1 tsp vanilla*. Mix again.

• Add 3 cups of flour, a cup at a time, and mix by hand until a soft ball forms.

Roll dough into small balls (1 to 2 ounces each) and press each evenly into tins until the dough overlaps the edges.  Remove the excess at the edge of tin by brushing with your fingers or palm.

Bake at 350 degrees 10 to 12 minutes, until light brown.  Cool and remove from tins by popping upside down on counter.

*NOTE:  You may substitute almond extract for the vanilla for a different flavor.

While nothing manufactured today might match the well-seasoned tins passed down through the generations, sandbakkel tins can be purchased at most Norwegian specialty shops.  In Mom's day, the tins were round.  Now a variety of sizes and shapes for the tarts are manufactured.

Use and Care of the Tins:

1. Season your tins before use with vegetable oil. Brush a thin layer and wipe out with a paper towel.

2. Dry well after washing. The newer tins have a tendency to rust more easily than their older counterparts.

3. Season again after washing. Over time the tins will become well-seasoned through multiple uses.

How To Make Krumkake

Krumkake is a cookie made from a thin batter which is poured on a krumkake iron and shaped into a delicate, crispy roll after browning.

Traditional krumkake irons were cast iron and heated on top of the stove.  My iron is that version which originally belonged to my mother.  The stove top style is still available in addition to the modern electric version.  

You will also need a krumkake form to roll the cookie on.  My mom never saw the need for a special roll.  Believe it or not, she used the end of an old broomstick handle which dad cut off to make it the right size for krumkake.  Considering that fact that she baked thousands of krumkake for paying customers over the years, what you roll them on doesn't matter nearly as much as how they taste.

Krumkake Recipe

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1/2 c melted butter

• 1 c milk

• 1 c sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• dash of salt

• 1-1/2 c flour

Mix well.  Pour thin layer of batter on krumkake iron.  Brown slightly on both sides, turning iron.  Remove from iron and roll on krumkake roller.  Slide off roller and cool.

How to Make Rosettes

Rosettes are made from the same basic ingredients krumkake are, but they are deep fried.  Again, they aren't complicated to put together.  Any difficulty usually arises in the execution.  They might either stick to your iron or fall off the iron when you fry them.  I'll cover how to avoid those issues following the recipe.

Rosettes Recipe

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1 c milk

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 c flour

Heat oil (Mom used Crisco shortening) in deep fryer or in pan on top of the stove to 350 degrees.  Insert rosette irons without batter for 15 minutes to heat.  Remove irons and pound off excess oil on paper towel before dipping into batter.  While still hot, dip irons 3/4 of the way into the batter.  (Do not submerge beyond the top of the iron.)  Fry until golden brown.  

Remove from oil and shake to release rosette from iron.  Use a table knife to gently release any areas that stick.  Cool and on open side sprinkle with or dip into granulated or powdered sugar.

TIP:  Heating the irons first is the secret to prevent sticking.  Pounding the irons into paper towels to remove excess oil after heating will keep the batter from sliding off.

How to Make Fattigmand

Fattigmand (sometimes spelled Fattigmann) are also deep-fried, but instead of batter the cookies are made from a rolled-out dough.  

Fattigmand Recipe

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 3 tbsp heavy cream

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1-1/2 to 2 cups flour (enough to make easy rolling)

 Mix and roll into a thin dough.  Cut into diamond shapes and make a small slit in the center of the dough.  Tuck two ends into the slit and deep fry in 350 degree oil until brown.  Sprinkle with granulated or powdered sugar.

If you're so inclined, a specialty fattigmand cutting wheel makes the job a little quicker.

These recipes are all from my mother's archives.  She made thousands and thousands of every one of them over the years.  Each of them are a cherished part of my heritage.  

There are many more heritage recipes I treasure just as much including the spritz and the lefse I mentioned.  We have Nordic Fest coming up in Decorah, Iowa this summer, though, and I think we'll reserve those as well as a few other Norwegian-inspired recipes for then.

Happy Baking!