Kransekage is served traditionally on New Year’s Eve with champagne at midnight. (However, you can also serve them at other festive occasions such as weddings.) They can be baked as cookie logs, or the dough also can be shaped into rings of graduating sizes and then stacked to form a traditional cake that is shaped like a cone.
Adapted for the recipe of Thor Østergaard, DIS Homestay
Wreath Cake (Kransekage)
Ingredients
Yield: 1 cake or approximately 12-14 cookies
Dough
1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 egg whites
1 pound marzipan
Icing
1 pasteurized egg white
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
Instructions
For the dough
Process the almonds and sugar in the bowl of a food processor until the consistency of flour. Add the egg whites and pulse until smooth, being careful not to overheat the mixture or the egg white will cook.
On the large holes of a box grater, shred the marzipan and place it in a large bowl. Add the almond mixture and knead together until smooth and free of lumps. Form the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Divide the dough in 2. On a clean surface, roll each portion of dough into a long cylinder about 1-inch thick. Cut the cylinder into equal lengths, each about 3 inches long. Lightly moisten your fingers with a little water and gently press each cookie log into a rounded triangle. Transfer to the prepared pan.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes until slightly golden, being careful to not overcook. Let cool slightly before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
For the icing
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white, powdered sugar, and vinegar together. The icing should be firm enough to hold a shape when piped. Transfer the icing to a quart-sized plastic bag or similar and cut a small hole at one of the corners. Pipe the icing onto the cookies in a curving zigzag pattern. Allow the icing to set.
To serve
Serve on a decorative plate for your guests to enjoy with a glass of bubbly after the stroke of midnight.