Stirring it up:

Here’s an easy recipe for a simply delicious and delicate treat called Rosettes. While easy, this recipe should be undertaken when you have no other distractions as you will be cooking with very hot oil. You will need rosette irons and handle as pictured here with the freshly baked Rosettes.  Norwegian Sandbakkels are the three scolloped cookies.

Rosettes – Ingredients:

• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 2 t. vanilla sugar or 2 t. white sugar plus 1 t. of an extract of choice
• 1 c. milk
• 1 c. all purpose flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• Canola oil
• Confectioners sugar

Method:

• Whisk together the eggs, vanilla sugar and milk.
• Sift together the flour and salt then whisk it into the egg mixture and whisk till smooth.
• Attach an iron to the handle.
• In a large, heavy pan heat 2 to 3 inches of Canola oil to between 360°F and 365°F. Keep a careful eye on the oil so that it does not get hotter during the cooking process.
• CAREFULLY dip the iron into the hot oil.|
• Remove the iron from the oil and dip it into the batter just deep enough to come up to the top edge of the sides of the iron. Do not cover the iron with  batter.
• Now, submerge the iron into the hot oil just long enough to turn the rosette a light golden brown. If the rosette falls off the iron, use a chopstick or a long handled roasting fork to remove it from the oil.
• Remove the iron from the oil and place the rosette on a paper towel to cool. If the rosette doesn’t come off the iron easily, use a kitchen knife to gently press it off.
• If you wish to change the iron to another shape remember, the iron may be extremely hot so use a pot holder to cover the iron when unscrewing it from the handle.
• Cool completely. Just before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar.

This recipe makes about 25 large rosettes.

Dishing it out: Both the Rosette recipe and the recipe noted below offer you the opportunity to embrace a Swedish custom, Fika.  This is a break from activity during which people drink coffee, eat cakes or other light snacks, and relax with others. Fika is an important part of culture, it’s an attitude, a state of mind. Perhaps all of us should embrace this approach to life.

Fika for me would include Rosettes, called struva in Swedish, these delicate treats and were not common in my growing up years. This may be because there were four of us kids and Mom had little time to stand over a hot pan of oil without one or the other of us needing (or wanting!) her full attention. When she did make these, usually for a special occasion, she would always save one for each of us. A rosette covered with powdered sugar and a cup of  “tea” was about as special a tea-party as any child could wish for.

Enjoy!

Here’s another Swedish recipe you might like to try, Swedish Visiting Cake.