Danish Food - My way! Marcipanbrød

I love marzipan.  Since childhood, to be honest.  I think my love of marzipan is with me for the duration.  It started way back when Aunty Doris used to make little marzipan novelties at Christmas.  Little fruit and handbags were the shapes I remember.  So skilfully decorated and painted with a light touch of food colouring.  To a child they were magical.  To a child they were works of art.  It seemed sacrilegious  to eat them.  Oh the joy!

I also have had a huge love of liquorice.  Since forever.

Fast forward to adulthood.  I discovered that the Danish national sweet delicacy along with liquorice is something called Marcipanbrød, Marzipan Bread/Loaf.
Marzipan.  Liquorice.  What is there not to love about that country?!

Marcipanbrød, made most famously by Anton Berg, has only become available in the UK in recent years.  Prior to that I was that addicted to the stuff that I made up my own.  I give you my recipe below.  The Danes probably make theirs differently but what the heck, marzipan, chocolate, nuts, brandy ... who cares whether these loaves are authentically made or not?!

These make lovely hostess presents, something for the hostess to hand around with coffee ... or keep for herself!  They also make lovely little Christmas presents.  I cover them in cellophane like crackers and tie up the cracker ends with ribbon curls.

I warn you now that photos of these babies, undressed and dressed are not the prettiest.  But I can assure you that it is a loaf shape that is being created here!  Keep remembering that ...

Marcipanbrød

 

 

 

Ingredients

400* gr white marzipan

20-30 finely shelled nuts, halved and finely chopped , e.g. pecan or walnut

(reserving a few for decoration)

1-2 tablespoons brandy

150 gr good dark chocolate
 

Method
 

1. Open the marzipan and leave for a while to come to room temperature, making it easier to mould.

2. Flatten the marzipan, cover the centre with the nuts and a little of the brandy.  Mould together, adding the rest of the brandy gradually as you mould.

3. Form into two baguette loaf shapes and place in the fridge to firm a little.

4. Meanwhile, break the chocolate into smaller pieces and place in a bowl.  Microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring several times through the melting.  There will probably be a lumps left after the 2 minutes but take out of the microwave and keep stirring with a metal spoon until all is melted.

5. Now for the chocolate bit.  Remove the marzipan loaves from the fridge, place on a board.  Using a pastry brush, apply two thin layers to the visible loaf surface, allowing each to harden a little (about 3-5 minues between coats). 

Carefully flip them over and place on greaseproof baking parchment (this will make it easier to manoevre. Apply several coats to the new visible surface, allowing each coat to harden a little.  The chocolate will harden quicker as it cools.

Don't fret!  Any chocolate you have left over can be kept covered in the fridge and melted again for some other use ... like over icecream and scattered with some toasted almond slices :o).
 

6. As soon as you have applied the final coat of chocolate, decorate with nuts whilst still melted. 

 

Leave to harden.  To serve, cut the loaf in small slices, and enjoy !

 

 

* it's usually sold in 500 gr packs but 400 gr works out just right covered with 150 gr chocolate.  If you use the whole pack, you will need to up the chocolate.  The leftover marzipan can be chopped up and added to a biscuit mix.


Velbekomme!!

A la perchoine.



Danish Food, My Way - Ris a l'amande (Creamed Rice)

I need some hygge today.  I need a hyggelig feel around me.  Time to light some candles and find some comfort food, like a big bowl of creamed rice.
Why don't you get your saucepan out too, join me in the hygge!

When I started posting recipes on this blog, Sis reminded me that one of my "signature" family puds is creamed rice.  Although the "posh" version with cherries is in effect the Danish Ris a l'amande, my recipe originally came from my Mum in the 70s and started out as an economical way of making creamed rice, i.e. without expensive cream.  I've fancified it over the years with the cream etc.

This is not cake-making so no scientific measurements are required.  It's a failproof pud.  It's somehow light and refreshing and, similar to trifle - even when you don't think you can't face a pud after mains it's surprising how well this one goes down.

I kept a big bowl of this in the fridge for after-school refuelling, back in the day, as keeps in the fridge for several days.  These days it's an ideal pud to make in advance when entertaining so I can fully concentrate on prettying myself up on party day!

So now, dear readers, I give you Creamed Rice, Two Ways.

Mum's Everyday Creamed Rice with Cinnamon Sugar

 

Ingredients

For the rice:
1 cup of round-grain pudding rice, rinsed and drained
Approx 1 litre milk, I use semi-skimmed
2 eggs
salt and water
sugar to taste
1-2 teaspoons (tspns) vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar:
Approx 1 cup of castor sugar
1-2 tspns ground cinnamon

Stage 1

Place the rice in a pan and cover well with water.  Bring to the boil and simmer until the water has been absorbed.

Whilst this is cooking, make up the cinnamon sugar by mixing about 1 cup of castor sugar with 1-2 tspns ground cinnamon.  Place in a container and leave to one side.

Add about 3/4 of the 1 litre milk carton and a little salt, maybe quarter to half a tspn.

Bring gently to the boil, stirring quite frequently.

Take care that it doesn't spill over the pan!

Turn the heat down to simmer.

Continue to simmer until all the milk has absorbed into the rice, stirring frequently to prevent the pan sticking.   The process should take about 20-25 mins.  Taste the rice, it needs to be soft and definitely not al dente!  Add more milk, as necessary.  You want to end up with a creamy sludge, not stiff and not swimming in milj, and you will probably find you use up the whole litre carton to achieve this.

Add the castor sugar to taste, together with the vanilla extract.  The rice needn't be too sweet as the sweet topping will definitely add to the overall sweetness.

Leave the rice to cool to room temperature.

Stage 2

Whilst the rice simmers, separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs.  Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and leave to one side.

When the rice has cooled to room temperature, blend in the egg yolks, then gently fold in the egg whites.  You should end up with a light creamy mixture.  Place in fridge to cool.

Serve with the cinnamon sugar, which is sprinkled on the individual portions to preference.

My Fancified Rice/Ris a l'amande

(Served traditionally in Danish homes on Christmas Eve)

Ingredients

For the rice:

1 cup of round-grain pudding rice, rinsed and drained

Approx 1 litre milk, I use semi-skimmed

salt and water

sugar to taste, about 3-4 tablespoons

1-2 tspns vanilla extract

284 ml pot double cream

For the topping:

1 jar of whole preserved cherries in syrup, preferably, or

1 can of Morello cherries and a jar good cherry jam, used to taste

Toasted flaked almonds

Method

Cook the rice as per Stage 1

Whilst the rice is cooking, whisk the cream to soft peaks.

When at room temperature, gently fold the cream into the rice and place in the fridge to chill.

When chilled, serve the rice topped with cherries and sprinkled with the almonds.

If using the canned cherries and jam:

Drain the cherry liquid into a bowl..  Add half to 1 whole jar of the jam, blended into the liquid.  Warm in the microwave for 2-3 minutes so that the jam dissolves, bar any fruit lumps.

Taste.  It will taste quite sweet but the rice should offset nicely.

Serve the chilled rice in individual portions with the cherry topping and almonds flakes strewn  over.

Velbekomme!

A la perchoine.

Danish Food - My Way ! Creamed Rice

As we head towards winter, it's time to get hyggelig.  Make a bowl of this pud and feel the hygge for days !

When I started posting recipes on this blog, Sis reminded me that one of my "signature" family puds is creamed rice.  Although the "posh" version with cherries is in effect the Danish Ris a l'amande, my recipe originally came from my Mum's in the 70s and started out as an economical way of making creamed rice, i.e. without expensive cream.  I've fancified it over the years. 

This is not cake-making so no scientific measurements are required.  It's a failproof pud.  It's somehow light and refreshing and, similar to trifle - even when you don't think you can't face a pud after mains it's surprising how well this one goes down.

I kept a big bowl of this in the fridge for after-school refuelling, back in the day, as keeps in the fridge for several days.  These days it's an ideal pud to make in advance when entertaining so I can fully concentrate on prettying myself up on party day!

So now, dear readers, I give you Creamed Rice, Two Ways.

Mum's Everyday Creamed Rice with Cinnamon Sugar

 

Ingredients

For the rice:
1 cup of round-grain pudding rice, rinsed and drained
Approx 1 litre milk, I use semi-skimmed
2 eggs
salt and water
sugar to taste
1-2 teaspoons (tspns) vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar:
Approx 1 cup of castor sugar
1-2 tspns ground cinnamon

Stage 1

Place the rice in a pan and cover well with water.  Bring to the boil and simmer until the water has been absorbed.

Whilst this is cooking, make up the cinnamon sugar by mixing about 1 cup of castor sugar with 1-2 tspns ground cinnamon.  Place in a container and leave to one side.

Add about 3/4 of the 1 litre milk carton and a little salt, maybe quarter to half a tspn.

Bring gently to the boil, stirring quite frequently.

Take care that it doesn't spill over the pan!!

Turn the heat down to simmer.

Continue to simmer until all the milk has absorbed into the rice, stirring frequently to prevent the pan sticking.   The process should take about 20-25 mins.  Taste the rice, it needs to be soft and definitely not al dente!  Add more milk, as necessary.  You want to end up with a creamy sludge, not stiff and not swimming in milj, and you will probably find you use up the whole litre carton to achieve this.

Add the castor sugar to taste, together with the vanilla extract.  The rice needn't be too sweet as the sweet topping will definitely add to the overall sweetness.

Leave the rice to cool to room temperature.

Stage 2

Whilst the rice simmers, separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs.  Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and leave to one side.

When the rice has cooled to room temperature, blend in the egg yolks, then gently fold in the egg whites.  You should end up with a light creamy mixture.  Place in fridge to cool.

Serve with the cinnamon sugar, which is sprinkled on the individual portions to preference.

My Fancified Rice/Ris a l'amande

(Served traditionally in Danish homes on Christmas Eve)

Ingredients

For the rice:

1 cup of round-grain pudding rice, rinsed and drained

Approx 1 litre milk, I use semi-skimmed

salt and water

sugar to taste, about 3-4 tablespoons

1-2 tspns vanilla extract

284 ml pot double cream

For the topping:

1 jar of whole preserved cherries in syrup, preferably, or

1 can of Morello cherries and a jar good cherry jam, used to taste

Toasted flaked almonds

Method

Cook the rice as per Stage 1

Whilst the rice is cooking, whisk the cream to soft peaks.

When at room temperature, gently fold the cream into the rice and place in the fridge to chill.

When chilled, serve the rice topped with cherries and sprinkled with the almonds.

AIf using the canned cherries and jam:

Drain the cherry liquid into a bowl..  Add half to 1 whole jar of the jam, blended into the liquid.  Warm in the microwave for 2-3 minutes so that the jam dissolves, bar any fruit lumps.

Taste.  It will taste quite sweet but the rice should offset nicely.

Serve the chilled rice in individual portions with the cherry topping and almonds flakes strewn  over.

Velbekomme!

A la perchoine.

Danish Food - My Way! Prawn and Egg Open Sandwich

Oh how I love this little dish!  It works all year round but I am especially drawn to it on a summer's day.  Eating under the vine-covered pergola, birds a-singing, served with a cold sparkly water ... or a chilled white if I'm feeling naughty!

It's oh-so-simple but oh so nice, and can be a spontaneous little lunch as it calls for ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and freezer.  This can't really be called cooking. for this little dish is nothing more than a few moments of construction work!  But I thought to present it to you today to remind us of what nice little morsels can be put on a plate with a small flurry of effort.

Traditionally a dense rye bread is used but any bread can be used after preference. 

 My Way! is to serve it on a thick slice of white tiger bread!
I think a rye fights too much with the delicate topping flavours.

Think about your choice of prawn though - the better quality the prawn, the better the taste.  Because the prawns have nowhere to hide in this dish!

Oh, and it can also be tarted up with nice garnishes to make a fresh-tasting little starter.

Rejemad

Prawn and Egg Open Sandwich

My Way, with white bread

And simpler and more traditional, on a rye bread

Ingredients

(per serving)

Slice of bread, thickly sliced white (preferably tiger) bread for My Way, or a dense rye traditionally 

But anything goes really, pumpernickel, or a slice of white or brown from a "regular" loaf

Butter, Guernsey for me, Lurpak if going traditional, or any other good butter

Mayonnaise, lots of!

Lettuce, if desired

1 hard-boiled egg, cooled and sliced

Cooked prawns, well-drained, about a handful but after preference - you may want more :-)

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Snipped fresh dill or cress to garnish
Twist of lemon

Method

 Butter the bread, then smooth over some mayonnaise.

Place a some lettuce over the mayonnaise, if desired

Place the sliced egg.

Pat over the prawns with kitchen roll to dry off any excess moisture, then place on top the egg.
Add extra mayonnaise over the prawns - your fit-bit will be very busy walking this lot off!
Garnish with chopped dill or cress and a twist of lemon, maybe a tbsp of cucumber salad here.
Serve it with a little salad garnish for a more hearty lunch dish.


Velbekomme!


A la perchoine.

Danish Food - My Way! Apple Cake



 Fancy something sweet and yummy?  Well, here's my take on a traditional Danish pudd, which is so easy to make and an absolute doddle if you use ready-made apple puree. 
However, it does taste so much better with a slightly chunky freshly stewed apple puree.

It's a works equally well for summer or winter, or autumn if you're approach is seasonal.
It's a go-to when I need to make a party pudding.

 You can prepare in advance to make entertaining easier, and who wouldn't want to do that?!
It keeps for several days in the fridge if you're making a big one for the family ... or just for yourself!

Bondepige med Sloer/Aeblekage

Danish Apple Cake

Ingredients

(for about 6-10 servings, according to how ravenous you feel!)

3-4 large cooking apples

(or a couple of large jars of ready-made apple puree)

3-4 tbspn water

2-3 tbspn sugar

1 tspn vanilla essence, if desired,

(adding it to the puree or the cream, after preference)

About half a large white sliced loaf

(you can also add mini macaroons to the mix for a almond vibe)

approx. half pound/125 gr butter

3-4 tbsn sugar, to taste

Double cream, about 1/2 pint/300 ml.

Grated chocolate, fruit jam or jelly - optional

Method

Start by preparing the mixes for the three layers.

1. Peel and core the apples, slice thickly and chop into approx. 1inch/2.5 cm pieces.

Stew slowly with water for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop the apple sticking to the pan.  Add a little more water if needed.

Puree the stewed apple with a hand blender or food processor.

Add sugar to the puree to taste and 1 tspn vanilla essence if desired.  Leave to cool.

2. During the above process, whiz the bread in a food processor until fine breadcrumbs.

Gently melt the butter in a large frying pan. Do not let it burn!

Gently add the crumb mix to the butter, stirring with a wooden spoon and cook through till well-mixed and golden (not burned!); add the sugar and mix well. 

Take off the heat and cool.

3. Whip the double cream, adding 1 tspn vanilla essence if desired, my preference.

Now it's assembly time!

Use a large glass serving bowl or individual serving glasses - just make sure you use glass to show off the yummy layers!

Starting with the crumb mix, layer alternately the crumb mix and apple puree, finishing with a crumb layer.

Top generously with whipped cream.

If preparing in advance, leave out the cream until just before serving.

Garnish, if desired, with a spring of edible flowers or leaves, grated chocolate or teaspoonfuls of jam/jelly - you choose.

And enjoy.

Velbekomme!

A la perchoine.

Danish Food - My Way! Cucumber Salad

 Here's a little home-made pickle which you can keep in your arsenal for a couple of weeks, at the ready to brighten up any sandwich, cold meats or salad.
I love it's sweet and sour taste and the merest hint of a crunch from the skin.  And it's prettiness.  I've played around with it over the years to get to this - peeling the cucumber did not work!
It's a good way to use up cucumber when there is a glut in the garden, or in my neighbour's garden in my case. Don't worry, he passes them over the fence, no midnight scrumping is involved!

Agurkesalat

Cucumber Salad - My Way

This is simple to make and is a good go-to side salad.  It can be used as a garnish for open sandwiches, cold meats etc.

Ingredients

1 firm cucumber, washed and unpeeled

1 teaspoon salt

3 tbspn boiling water

1-2 tbspn sugar, to taste

(I prefer to use white sugar for a transparent dressing)

3 tbspn white wine vinegar

salt and white pepper to taste

caraway seeds, optional

Method

Finely slice the cucumber. 

Place the slices in a sieve, sprinkle with the salt and place the sieve over a bowl. Leave the cucumber to drain of water for 1-2 hours, occasionally squeezing down with a saucer or your knuckles.  Don't worry, you won't damage the cucumber as it's pretty robust!

After 1-2 hours, place the drained cucumber into a bowl.

In a smaller bowl, blend the sugar into the boiling water until completely dissolved, then add the vinegar, salt and pepper and caraway seeds if desired.

Pour the dressing on the drained cucumber and mix well.

Place the mix in an airproof container and use as required. 

The salad should keep for up to 2 weeks, though towards the end of that period it can get a bit too soggy, so best eat it quickly!

Velbekomme!

A la perchoine.



Danish Food, My Way! Cauliflower Soup

Good day to you all!  Goddag! Davs!!

I like food.  And as you already know, I love Scandiland.  So it will come as no surprise to you that I love the food from the region, especially Danish food.
From time to time, I'd like to share with you my take on some of the dishes.

Are you looking for a recipe for veg-packed soup for the family, or a starter when entertaining in winter?  Or on a unseasonably cold spring day? Then try this delicious soup. 

This is food for the soul.  Comfort Food.

Blomkaal Suppe

Danish Cauliflower Soup - My Way

The Danes make a more complicated version with egg yolks. 

I keep mine simple and fool-proof!

Ingredients

1 cauliflower head; frozen cauliflower will work too

A generous knob of butter, 1-2 ozs

A heaped tablespoon of flour

Milk, about a pint/half a litre

Cauliflower stock

Nutmeg, salt and finely-ground pepper

Method

1. Cook the cauliflower in boiling water till soft enough to blend,   about 7-8 minutes.

2. Whilst the cauli is cooking, prepare a thin white sauce.  Make a roux by melting the butter, then blend the flour for a few minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.  Slowly add milk, starting with just a dash then building up, then some of the cauli stock when its cooked.  Stir until you have a thin white sauce.

3.  Grate some nutmeg and add salt and white pepper, all to taste.

4.  Puree the cauliflower and a little stock with a hand blender or food processor.  Add to the white sauce.

5. Serve with a sprinkle of nutmeg and a scattering of freshly chopped coriander or parsley.

Variations

Add a generous handful of cheese to the soup just before serving.

Add leftover cauliflower cheese to nutmeg-infused white sauce.

Velbekomme!

Gotta dash now, peeps, I'm off to try on the first contender for The Perfect Spring Jacket!

A la perchoine.

Kartoffelmad - Probably the Best Comfort Food in the World

Whilst I searched out photos for my Fear of Packing post the other day, I came across these. 

Eating out and wearing an Accessorise silk scarf, soft and light and with some nice colours in there to complement outfits.  

Eating at "home" in Denmark and wearing one of the Tie Rack Twin silk scarves, it's beige/grey/black version .

Yes, I like scarves!

But, dear reader, please take a look at what's on my plates.  Yes, there's a sausage on one but there is also something called kartoffelmad on both, which translates as "potato food" and it is the absolute ultimate in Comfort Food yet it is an obscenely simple dish. 

Perfect for a stormy day.  Or any day J.   And following my Probably the Best paraphrasing, this one ranks right up there so please give it a try. You will be thankful that I have shared this with you.  Your life will be richer for knowing how to make this dish.  Trust me.

OK.  Enough of the hyperbole, I think I've bigged this up enough so here's how it's put together.

My Kartoffelmad Lunch

Per person

Slice of bread, buttered if wished

Waxy potatoes, sliced

Red Onion, thinly sliced

Mayonnaise

Chives, snipped/chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter the bread, if liked, then spread with a thin layer of mayonnaise.  Place on plate.

Place sliced potato on top the mayonnaise, then red onion and top with more mayonnaise to your liking. 

It is traditional to top with chives and thinly sliced radish; I didn’t have any radish L. 

Vaersgo', tuck in, then say "tak for mad"!


You are very welcome.

A la perchoine.