Kleinur (Cardamom-Twisted Doughnuts)
Small twisted doughnuts, lightly sweetened and perfumed with cardamom, fried until golden, crispy on the outside and soft inside.
Small twisted doughnuts, lightly sweetened and perfumed with cardamom, fried until golden, crispy on the outside and soft inside.
There is no coffee worthy of the name without a plate of kleinur within reach. I would roll out the dough, cut it into diamonds, then slit each in the middle and pull one point through to make a pretty twist. A hint of cardamom, and the hot frying did the rest. They keep for days and travel without complaint — I always had some ready for any visitor.
- •Flour — as needed (structure)
- •Sugar — a little (sweetness)
- •Butter — a knob (softness)
- •Eggs — one or two (binder)
- •Milk — a splash (hydration)
- •Ground cardamom — a pinch (signature flavor)
- •Suet or lard for frying — as needed (cooking)
Kleinur (Cardamom-Twisted Doughnuts)
Small twisted doughnuts, lightly sweetened and perfumed with cardamom, fried until golden, crispy on the outside and soft inside.
Why this dish? No Icelandic coffee break, that cherished kaffitími, goes without kleinur. Sturdy and cardamom-scented, they kept for days and slipped easily into a travel bag. For Vigdís, who received guests and crisscrossed her island tirelessly, these little twisted doughnuts are Icelandic hospitality made into pastry.
There is no coffee worthy of the name without a plate of kleinur within reach. I would roll out the dough, cut it into diamonds, then slit each in the middle and pull one point through to make a pretty twist. A hint of cardamom, and the hot frying did the rest. They keep for days and travel without complaint — I always had some ready for any visitor.
Ingredients (period version)
- Flour — as needed (structure)
- Sugar — a little (sweetness)
- Butter — a knob (softness)
- Eggs — one or two (binder)
- Milk — a splash (hydration)
- Ground cardamom — a pinch (signature flavor)
- Suet or lard for frying — as needed (cooking)
Ingredients
- Flour — 400 g (structure)
- Sugar — 80 g (sweetness)
- Melted butter — 50 g (softness)
- Eggs — 2 (binder)
- Milk — 100 ml (hydration)
- Baking powder — 1 teaspoon (lightness)
- Ground cardamom — 1 teaspoon (signature flavor)
- Neutral oil for frying — 1 liter (cooking)
Method
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and cardamom, then incorporate butter, eggs, and milk until a supple dough forms.
- Roll out the dough to 5 mm thickness and cut into diamonds.
- Make a slit in the center of each diamond and pull one point through to form a twist.
- Fry in oil at 180°C for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Drain on paper and let cool before serving with coffee.
How it was made : Introduced from Denmark, kleinur became an Icelandic institution. They were fried in suet or lard and stored in an airtight container: their keeping quality made them the ideal snack for long journeys and the quintessential pastry for kaffitími.
The contemporary twist : Dusted with powdered sugar and cardamom, piled in a pyramid for a school snack or festive buffet.
Sources : Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir, Icelandic Food and Cookery (2002)
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir · Charactorium
