Christmas wouldn't be Christmas ... Grandma's Krumkake

[CWS4322]

Christmas would not be Christmas without Krumkake. Here's my grandma's recipe. I don't know where she got it or if she learned it at her mother's knee. I learned how to make Krumkake at my grandma's knee.

It is assumed you have a Krumkake iron and wooden cone for rolling.

This makes 6-7 dozen. I adjust the heat on the iron as I make them. It takes me about 4 hours to make a batch. I ship them in a tupperware container to my folks in MN (how I earn more GD [good daughter] points).


Ingredients:

1 c whipping cream, whipped and set aside.
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
1/2 c butter (always butter, I use unsalted) melted
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla*
1 tsp ground cardamon
dash of salt
1-1/2 c AP flour
(you can add brandy or use vanilla sugar or part vanilla sugar--I've done both, but I never omit the freshly ground cardamon--about 8 pods)
Directions:
(You'll need 4 bowls)

1. Whip egg whites until stiff, set aside.
2. Beat egg yolks until lemon yellow, thick and fluffy. Set aside.
3. Add melted butter to sugar. Stir to blend. Add vanilla.
4. Add beaten egg yolks.
5. Fold in whipped cream.
6. Add cardamon and flour.
7. Fold in egg whites.
Cook on a hot, ungreased krumkake iron (mine was my grandma's, so it is very well seasoned with love and memories). I test the heat by sprinkling a drop of two of water on it--if the water beads and dances, it's ready.

! use about 1 T batter for each. Flip the iron after counting to 30. Cook the otherside until it is pale yellow--about 20-30 seconds. Lift off iron with fork, roll on cone. Wipe the iron with a paper towel between each. When you flip the next one, slide the Krumkake off the cone (if not crisp, reduce the amount of batter, adjust the heat--they should be crisp when you slide them off the cone). Store in an airtight container. When ready to serve, dust with sifted powdered sugar. We don't fill ours--I guess you can, but then the cookie gets soggy. To eat, hold perpendicular to your mouth and hold your other hand under to catch crumbs.

PS--I'm sure FRESH eggs would make better krumkake than STORE-BOUGHT eggs.

[CWS4322]

Oh--crap! I made the krumkake batter using FRESH eggs, and the batter is too thick. I thinned it with a cup of cream--still too thick. When I tested it on the iron, it didn't crisp and it got DARK right away (7 seconds!). My thought is I can make crepes out of the batter and go and buy store eggs and start over...I don't have time to cure the FRESH eggs since I want to sent Krumkake to my parents the first week of December.

The egg yolks and beaten egg whites were BEAUTIFUL!! I took pics anticipating I could post the final product...But, the batter doesn't work on the iron--too thick, turns BROWN even when the burner is on low (I usually have to have the burner on high), and it doesn't crisp when wrapped.

Any thoughts on how I can recover this batter for Krumkake? I was thinking of adding some Seltzer to it to thin it...And, I am thinking of scouring the iron and re-seasoning it, but it is ancient, well seasoned, and I've never had a problem with it. I am so not happy. I've made this recipe since the late '60s (counting the years I made this at my grandma's knee). I've never had this problem. I'm so dismayed!

[Fabiabi]

Yes these are lovely. A nice touch at christmas time

[CWS4322]

I added 1/2 c seltzer...these aren't my grandma's krumkake--but they are good!

[taxlady]

Yule wouldn't be Yule without Glögg. That's Scandinavian mulled wine. It's supposed to be best if you let the spices, sugar, and raisins steep in the wine for a a few weeks before you use it. I always forget and it's still really good. I usually use rum instead of akvavit. If anyone wants the recipe, I'll be happy to post mine.

[PrincessFiona60]

I need a recipe for my Myers 10 year old rum...okay it's 11 by now. Tastes very rich and full but, I just don't drink very often. I had one tasting out of the bottle when I got it last year.

[Claire]

Princess, you can make or buy a rather heavy cake. Anything from fruit cake to spice cake to pound cake. Then pierce it several times with a bamboo skewer. Depending on your taste for alcohol (my friends are mostly imbibers), you can pour the rum over the cake, wrap it, and store it for .... well, forever. If you and your friends are more into sweets and less into alcohol, you can put a cup or two of the rum in a pot and let it simmer with some sugar, and let it reduce a bit. You're better at sweets than I'll ever be. THEN pour it over a cake for syrup. Another alternative (what I'd probably do) is to stick it in the pantry, and on the very few occasions when I do bake, I use it instead of vanilla extract (which I never keep on hand since I don't bake much). It makes an exceptional sub for vanilla.

[Claire]

My goodness (not what I'd say if you heard me!). Also reconstituting raisins and other dried fruit for baking or even making some couscous. If you have friends over who do drink, and like coffee, put it out with the pot of coffee, or make it available to top a bowl of ice cream. Use it in bread pudding. Yumm.

[PrincessFiona60]

I like the idea of reduction and making syrup and using it in place of vanilla, Thanks Claire!