ROSETTES AND FATTIGMAND

ROSETTES

Rosettes and fattigmand are two Norwegian Christmas cookies that are deep fried in hot oil. Rosettes are lighter than air and incredibly fragile. They taste best when sprinkled with powdered sugar when they are still hot and eaten right away.

Rosettes are made with a special tool called a rosette iron. They used to be made with iron but some are now made with aluminum. When I was a child we only saw the classic rose shape, but now I see that there are all kinds of shapes, including stars and Christmas trees, and playing card designs.

I found this set on amazon.com for $15.00. It not only includes three rosette patterns but also three timbales. I never knew what a timbale was, until I pulled up this image. What do you know? They're tart tins - or sandbakkel tins.

I had forgotten to mention in my last post that sandbakkel tins cost about $12.00 a set, so to get the rosette iron and the tins is a real bargain.

ROSETTES

2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs, sugar and salt slightly. Add milk and flour. Beat until smooth. Bake with a rosette iron. Heat form well in boiling oil or fat and dip into batter, being careful not to let batter run over the edge of the form. Dip the iron with the batter sticking to it into the hot fat until nicely browned. This makes about 40 rosettes. When serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

FATTIGMAND (POOR MAN)

Fattigman may be made with a special cutter or roller, but it isn't necessary. A plain old kitchen knife will work very well. The recipe below features brandy. If you don't care for it, there are other recipes in the From Norwegian Kitchens cookbook, but this one explains how to cut the dough.

6 egg yolks
6 tablespoons whipping cream
3 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons cardamom
Flour to make a soft dough
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
2 egg whites

Beat egg yolks until very light. Add sugar, cream, butter, brandy and cardamom and beat. Add flour to make soft dough and fold in beaten egg whites. Chill dough. Roll as thinly as possible and cut with a pastry wheel or knife into diamond shaped pieces about 3 or 4 inches long from point to point. Cut a slit directly in the middle of each diamond and pull through one tail. Fry in hot fat. Drain on brown paper.



A fattigmand cutter or roller, nice but not necessary. Amazon.com sells them for $19.00.

Enjoy these deep fried Christmas treats!