Julehygge

The Boy and I hit the city to do the last of our Christmas shopping on Sunday, people are completely nuts!!

On arriving home I wanted to wind down with something festive but relaxing, and let me tell you, nothing says Christmas Spirit (well, julestemning, really), like the smell of fresh baked brunkager. Ok, well except maybe aebleskiver and gloegg, but I'm working on that! ;)

Brunkager are a kind of Danish ginger spice cookie, traditionally baked at Christmas time.

I took some of these along to Bells' crafternoon last week, and they were also the fave baked goody at J-Mo's bbq on Saturday.


Since I'm on a recipe share roll, here's how:


In a saucepan, melt together:
125g butter
200mL golden syrup
125g brown sugar

In a large bowl mix:
380g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder (actually, the original recipe uses baking potash, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere here?)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves (I like the danish word - nellike) =)
1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Combine the cooled butter/sugar mixture with the flour/spices, and add
25g of finely chopped blanched almonds

Mix to a dough, and then pop it in the fridge for at least an hour (overnight is good)

Roll out really thin - just 2 or 3mm or so, then cut out with Christmassy cutters.

Now these guys are really thin so they will cook quickly - about 5-6 minutes at 180C.

I made the little gingerbread man guys, and also the more traditionally Christmassy shapes. Brunkager are often decorated with a half blanched almost pressed into the top before baking.

Aah, just looking at brunkager, with the almond in the top makes me smile =D

besos =)


btw, those cute Christmas decorations (love love love love love them!) in the shot with the brunkager, they came from the giftshop at Kronborg castle - cool huh =)