Christmas Baking with Verden Founder Charlotte Semler
Photo credit https://www.royalcopenhagen.com/
Every year I do an event just for my kids and their friends. This is either an afternoon of baking or making decorations.
Traditionally, Danish Christmas decorations are made from paper. You can find templates online and then all you need is pretty papers, scissors and some glue. It’s a great way to get to know your kid’s friends as you sit round a big table chatting and crafting for hours.
Other years I do a baking afternoon. When the kids were little we’d always make our honey cookies. Super simple and delicious and endless fun with cutters and icing.
As the kids have got older they’ve been up for more complicated projects so making klejner has become a tradition with my teens. It’s quite tricky but that’s the fun.
Baking is a big part of the festive season in Denmark. We bake a selection of little cookies during December and then serve them at parties and on Christmas Eve.
Photo credit: https://www.valdemarsro.dk/julesmaakager/
Here’s the recipe for my favourite. It’s simple, child-friendly and totally delicious.
Honning småkager:
250g Light or Dark Muscovado Sugar
450g Honey
110g Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
A pinch of Ground Cloves
1.5 tsp Baking Soda
700g Plain Flour (you can substitute whole wheat flour for ¼ of this if you like)
Melt the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Allow to cool to something approaching room temperature.
Then add to a big bowl with the flour etc, mix and knead until it’s a smooth dough.
Leave in a cool place for a few hours
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to be approximately 3mm thick then cut out with christmassy cookie cutters and bake for about 4 mins at 170 degrees fan.
If you want you can decorate them with white icing once cool.
The dough will keep in the fridge for weeks. So you don’t have to use it all at once. The kids can get it out and make more whenever they want.
Klejner:
I use my grandmother’s recipe but here’s one with proper instructions…
https://skandibaking.com/sprode-klejner-fried-cookie-twists/
