topless bread: 12/1/11

29 December 2011

RECIPE: Holiday Horns to New Year’s Eve

Posted by kelesney

Traditionally, marizpan cakes or kranskager are only made for special occasions like weddings and anniversaries as a whole tiered cake or cornucopia decorated with Danish flags. This picture is from our wedding…you will notice that there are both Danish and Mexican flags on the cake to honor the heritage of the two of us. You can say that we are quite the ‘mexi-scan’ couple who observe each other’s traditions.

These make great dessert treats for your New Year’s Eve guest…especially, if they have never had the pleasure of enjoying a single bite. Though this recipe is originally intended for making horn-shaped ones, be creative and/or make simple little bites for your friends and family to enjoy.

Just remember to decorate them either with a little zig-zag of icing and/or dip them in dark chocolate. Of course, if you serve these right at midnight…sparklers are a nice touch!

Google the word ‘kransekage’ and look at the images for inspiration…and let your creativity be your guide.

Here is his recipe for making kransekage-nut horns.

Claus Meyer’s KRANSEKAGE TIL NYTÅRSAFTEN

Click here for the original Danish Recipe by our cousin Claus Meyer

INGREDIENTS

200g (7oz)	Marzipan Raw
	Or make your own raw marzipan, pulverize whole almonds and blend in sugar to you have a thick paste using 133g (4.7oz or about a cup) almonds and 66g (1/3c) cane sugar
50g (1/4 c)	cane sugar
2	2 egg whites

For Decoration: chopped nuts (almonds or hazelnuts), icing and/or good quality dark chocolate.

SPECIAL TOOLS: (1) Pastry bag…with (1) large round - #806 or (1) large star tip - #826*
*Remember this is a thick paste …so, choose which one works best for you.

METHOD
1: Mix raw marzipan (or your mixture) and cane sugar together well in a food processor so you have a homogeneous mass without lumps. Then, add egg whites and mix so that it is "ready to use" i.e.: soft enough to be squeezed through a pastry bag.

2: Add the chopped nuts in a pan and squeeze the mixture into small sausages. (Reference size: large shrimp or the length of your middle finger). Next, place the sausages on a baking sheet with baking parchment with the nuts up. Shape gently like a horn and press them lightly so they are slightly higher and no more triangular than "sausage shaped".

3: Bake at 425F (220C) for approx 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Place an additional empty baking sheet under each full sheet to avoid burning the bottoms of each horn.

4: Cool on a wire rack before you serve them and/or dip the bottom in a good dark chocolate. You may also add icing using a pastry bag with a piping tip or plastic bag with small tip cut off at the end to swirl it on top.

These will keep in freezer for at least one month.

Note: The horns can also be frozen for a few days in freezer bags. Just make sure to squeeze all air from the bags so that they remain moist and soft upon thawing.

Happy New Year / Godt Nytår !