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Norwegian: Hiortetakk Bakkels (Reindeer Antler Cookies)

Source of Recipe

Barney Jacobson


Recipe Introduction

"With a little imagination you can see the head of a reindeer, complete with antlers, in the finished cookie. Gather the family, as Barney does, to create an assembly line for shaping these Norwegian treats."

List of Ingredients

1 1/2 tsp. dairy sour cream
1/2 tsp. baker's dry ammonia(*) or
baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp. rum or brandy
1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
2 cups sifted cake flour
Cooking oil for deep-fat frying
Sifted powdered sugar (optional)



Recipe

If using dry ammonia, place sour cream in a small bowl. Stir in dry ammonia; set aside. In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar, melted butter, rum or brandy, cardamom, lemon extract, and dry ammonia mixture or baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed just till combined. Stir in cake flour. Cover and chill overnight.

On a lightly floured surface, roll about 2 tablespoons of dough at a time into a 15-inch-long rope (see photo, below). Cut into three 5-inch long ropes. Using one rope per cookie, cross one end of rope over the other about 1 inch from each end to form a circle with "antlers" (see photo, below). Press dough firmly together where ends meet. Keep dough chilled and work with only a few pieces of dough at a time to prevent it from becoming sticky.

In a heavy, deep, 3-quart saucepan or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375[degrees]. Using a spoon, carefully add 4 or 5 cookies at a time to hot oil. Fry for 30 seconds on each side or till golden, turning once with a slotted spoon. Carefully remove cookies from hot oil with slotted spoon. Drain cookies on paper towels. Dust with sifted powdered sugar, if desired. Repeat with remaining cookies.

YIELD: 60 Cookies

Baking ammonia was the typical leavening agent for baking in Norway in the early part of the century. It's available today in most pharmacies.

Nutrition facts per cookie: 46 cal., 3 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 9 mg chol., 13 mg sodium, 5 g carbo., 0 g fiber, and 1 g pro. Daily Values: 1 % vit. A, 0% vit. C, 0% calcium, and 1% iron.