Norwegian Christmas Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour, sugar, cardamom and salt in the mixer bowl. Combine the milk, butter, yeast and 2 eggs in another bowl, then incorporate into the dry ingredients with the mixer at low speed, 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is sticky but will not stick to your hand, about 12 minutes.
• Add raisins and citron on slow speed to incorporate, about 1 minute (do not overmix).
• Let the dough relax in the mixing bowl, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Mix to knock down, then remove to a flour-dusted table.
• Divide into four pieces and let rest, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Form dough into desired shapes, such as round loaves. Beat remaining egg and paint dough with egg wash. Transfer dough to a pan. Let rise again, covered, until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Paint again with egg wash. Bake until the loaves are deeply brown and sound hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Let fully cool.

Steps:

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Cream the sugar and butter.
• Beat in the eggs.
• Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
• Pour entire batter into a greased pie pan or cake pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes until top is crispy looking and golden.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar once cooled if desired.

Steps:

• Set an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• To make the cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, if needed. Beat in the water. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gradually sift in the flour and baking powder and fold together with a rubber spatula until just combined. Transfer to the cake pan and bake until the center springs back when you poke it; 1 hour to1 hour and15 minutes. Cool in the pan.
• To assemble the cake: Once the cake is cooled, slice in half crosswise. Place the bottom of the cake cut-side up on a cake round or directly onto a cake stand or serving platter. Spread whipped cream on top and dot with a layer of sugared cranberries. Place the remaining half of the cake on top, cut-side down. Spread the whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake to cover. Decorate the top of the cake with remaining cranberries and a few sprigs of rosemary.
• In a large mixing bowl with a hand-mixer, or in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to medium-stiff peaks.
• Just before assembling the cake, combine cranberries and sugar in a bowl and toss to coat.

Steps:

• In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, egg, butter, salt, cardamom and 2 cups flour; mix well. Stir in raisins, citron and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to greased top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Shape each portion into a flattened ball. Place in two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Steps:

• in a heatproof bowl, put all raisins together and cover with approximately 5 cups of boiling water to soften. set aside.
• mix the 2 packages of dry yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water. mix well and let sit.
• boil 2 cups of milk until scalded. turn down heat to medium and add the 3/4 cup of butter until melted. remove from heat and set aside.
• in a large bowl measure 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 of the container of cardamom. mix well.
• add the two beaten eggs to the dry mixture. then add the milk/butter mixture. gradually add 6 of the 8 cups of flour and the dissolved yeast.
• drain the raisins. add the raisins and citron to the mix. now add the remaining 2 cups of flour.
• time to knead the bread! i use my heavy-duty mixer as it is easier on my hands and back. if manual knead, place dough on floured breadboard and knead completely.
• once the bread is kneaded, place into a large pre-floured bowl and cover with a dish towel or cloth allowing it to rise for 1 hour.
• after the dough has risen, cut it into two loaves. place each into a pre-greased, pre-floured baking loaf pan.
• again, cover each loaf pan and allow to rise for another hour.
• before placing the loaves into a pre-heated 300 degree oven, cut the top of each loaf with an X design, or a fancy cut design of your choice, and brush with 1 beaten egg.
• bake the loaves for 45 minutes at 300 degrees. increase the heat to 325 degrees for the next 30-45 minutes (test after 30 minutes with a toothpick for doneness - make take longer, make take less depending on your oven temperature).
• remove the loaves from the oven and brush with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
• let loaves cool completely before removing from pans.
• note: if you choose to omit the citron, which i do often, use 2 cups each of the golden and regular raisins instead.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 2 sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine confectioners' sugar, ground almonds, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add unbeaten egg whites one at a time, mixing until a firm dough forms. Knead dough for 2 minutes until it holds together and doesn't fall apart easily.
• Roll dough into 18 ropes the thickness of your index finger, each rope a little longer than the next. Shape each rope into a ring. Arrange rings on the baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Watch smaller circles carefully, as they may finish baking before the larger ones. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Mix confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract together to make icing. Pour icing into a piping bag fitted with a small tip.
• Place a doily on a serving plate. Pipe a ring of icing as large as the largest cake ring. Place the largest cake ring on the icing. Pipe icing in a zig-zag pattern over the ring. Stack remaining cake rings on top, from largest to smallest, piping icing between each ring.