Restaurants are re-opening from pandemic lockdown, but still, when I eat "out" I prefer a picnic. As I always say, anything that tastes good inside tastes even better outside.
(Well, I'm saying it here anyway.)
I first learned of the cookie called jodekager while researching recipes for my historical cookbook Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens. It was mentioned by Danish settler Julie Feilberg, who homesteaded with her husband Ditlev and their children near Nokomis, Sask.
Julie wrote many letters home to Denmark, in one describing a picnic outing in 1915. This picnic included egg sandwiches, bread and butter, citron marmalade, rhubarb pudding with cream and jodekager cookies. It gives a pretty good idea of what foods were readily available to settlers on the prairie at that time.
I researched the jodekager cookie and learned it's still very popular in Scandinavia, especially at Christmas time, but it's also quite at home in a summer picnic basket.
(Well, I'm saying it here anyway.)
I first learned of the cookie called jodekager while researching recipes for my historical cookbook Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens. It was mentioned by Danish settler Julie Feilberg, who homesteaded with her husband Ditlev and their children near Nokomis, Sask.
Julie wrote many letters home to Denmark, in one describing a picnic outing in 1915. This picnic included egg sandwiches, bread and butter, citron marmalade, rhubarb pudding with cream and jodekager cookies. It gives a pretty good idea of what foods were readily available to settlers on the prairie at that time.
I researched the jodekager cookie and learned it's still very popular in Scandinavia, especially at Christmas time, but it's also quite at home in a summer picnic basket.
Jødekager
1 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar, separated
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1. Cream the butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
2. In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder and cardamom. Gradually mix flour into the butter mixture until well blended. Form into two balls, wrap in plastic and rest in the fridge for one hour.
3. On a well floured counter, roll one ball of dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second ball of dough, then gather up and roll the scraps.
4. Mix the cinnamon and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Brush the cookies with egg white and sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
5. Bake at 375F until the edges are just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
1 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar, separated
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1. Cream the butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
2. In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder and cardamom. Gradually mix flour into the butter mixture until well blended. Form into two balls, wrap in plastic and rest in the fridge for one hour.
3. On a well floured counter, roll one ball of dough to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second ball of dough, then gather up and roll the scraps.
4. Mix the cinnamon and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Brush the cookies with egg white and sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
5. Bake at 375F until the edges are just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
