Saturday, December 19, 2020

Great Gramma's Finsk Brod: Adapting Old World Recipes

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Butter the size of an EGG?*!*!

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My mother was never a baker, her expertise was no bake cookies, basically syrup, marshmallows and some sort of cereal. But, my extended family relied on the old world baking of my Grandmother with her vague, old, hand-written in Danish, recipes from Frederickshavn, Denmark.

During the holidays, her kitchen always smelled of butter, vanilla  and cinnamon. 


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Infinite butter cookies were washed down with dark rich coffee, sweet cherry wine, or rich Droste old fashioned cocoa in milk. Not a marshmallow in sight.

I have many old hand-written baking recipe's in Danish with obscure measurements such as 'butter the size of an Egg', Fars cup of sugar..versus Mors cup of sugar??? (Father's cup and Mother's cup),  scrape a vanilla bean soaked in vodka, and many more oddities, not too mention litres, millilitres, etc.

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I was fortunate to have helped my Gramma bake at Christmas time. I often spent days at her house while my mom worked extra in the family's Fish Market. 
Christmas was always their busiest time of the year. So many cultures use fresh fish and shellfish, imported cheeses. and delicacies in their traditional Old World holiday dinners.

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Today, Gramma would be 122 years old, so now I'm Gramma and I often bake for gifts. What could be better than real Danish Poundcake? It took me quite a few years to get the balance right on this old recipe.
Tip: Don't use extra large eggs or the dough will be too heavy and not rise.

Recipe Here: 
Grandmother's Pound Cake


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Now the kitchen smells like Christmas! 

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Also excellent in the summer with strawberries on it 
and fresh whipped cream! 

I ran across an old family recipe for Finsk Brod, basically meaning Finnish Bread--a short bread cookie from my aunt, who had tried to duplicate the Danish cookies we were all so fond of. 

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I always use a recipe as written first, and then try and tweak it to what I remember it really tasting like.

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Suprisingly without leavening these still puff up.

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The rich dough is rolled into finger size pieces, then dipped in beaten egg. 

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 The recipe said to roll in chopped almonds and a bit of sugar. (The problem with this is the sugar burns on the bottom...so next time, we will sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon on top) after rolling the 'logs' in almonds.

https://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com/2020/12/great-grammas-finsk-brod-adapting-old.html

The almonds are chopped a bit fine!

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The taste is definitely right...texture is perfect...the toasted almonds divine... the cinnamon just like Morsmor! (Mother's mother)

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And warm, we could hardly resist gobbling them down.

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Oh, my goodness...total deliciousness! 

Danish Recipe for Finsk Brod- makes 75

1 cup of unsalted butter room temp
1/2 cup of sugar
Beat until thoroughly combined with mixer
add 1 tsp. clear pure vanilla extract

 2 cups of sifted(several times) unbleached flour with pinch of salt (or use salted butter)

Add a little at a time, I use a dough hook on my mixer and keep it going until it all the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Lightly knead the dough on a bread board. Take 1/4 of the very soft dough, quickly roll into long 1/2 " rolls cut 1-1/2" long pieces. 
Dip pieces in beaten egg 
and roll in fine chopped blanched almonds.

Place on parchment paper covered cookie sheets, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 min. 
Watch carefully. Remove the cookies on the parchment from the trays to cool immediately.
Store in air tight container in a cool place.

 
Have a Happy Holiday Season.
and 
GLADELIGE JUL

Other Danish posts:





PLEASE -Do not use my photos without my permission and linking back to this post on my blog.


Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 











4 comments:

  1. Delightful post! Mouthwatering treats!Merry Merry Christmas!

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    Replies
    1. Oh, my goodness, these are so GOOD. We were even stingy in giving them away! LOL. Hugs, and Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Sandi

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  2. Thanks so much for linking up at A Themed Linkup 86 for Christmas Recipes. Pinned and/or shared!

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Thank you for any and all comments. I will be happy to answer any questions or comments in replies or email! HUGS!