Swedish Wedding Cookie Food

KRANSEKAKE

Steps:

• Dough: Place almonds in a food processor and process to form fine crumbs, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and salt and process until well combined and powder-like, about 1 minute. Add egg whites and process until a dough forms (it will have the texture of cookie dough). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300°F with oven rack in the middle. Brush a set of 6 kransekake molds with butter. Divide dough in half. Working with one half of dough at a time, cut into small portions and roll into ropes that are slightly thicker than the diameter of a pencil (about 3/8-inch-to-1/2-inch thick). Fit ropes into rings of 3 molds, trimming to fit. Place molds on an unrimmed baking sheet and bake until puffed and lightly golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer molds to a wire rack and let cool completely on baking sheet. Repeat shaping and baking process with remaining half of dough and remaining 3 molds. Carefully remove rings from molds.
• Royal Icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar and egg whites. Mix on medium-high speed until combined and thickened, about 8 minutes. If decorating with more than one color, divide icing into batches. Using the end of a toothpick, add food coloring until the desired shade is achieved.
• To Assemble: Sort rings in order of size. Fill a piping bag with icing and pipe a few dots onto the base of the largest ring and adhere to a cake plate. Pipe icing onto the base of next largest ring, and stack on top of the first ring. Repeat process, continuing to stack rings in decreasing size to form a tower of 18 rings. Decorate as desired. Allow icing to set before serving.

SWEDISH BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add syrup. Combine flour and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough into eight portions. Roll each portion into a 9-in. log. Place 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into 1-in. slices. Remove to wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

SWEDISH WEDDING CAKES

Steps:

• Combine the margarine, sugar, egg, and dates in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thick, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
• Combine the crispy rice cereal and the walnuts in a large bowl. Stir in the date mixture; mix well.
• Working quickly, form the cereal and date mixture into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in coconut. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.

SWEDISH WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream earth balance vegan margarine with 1/4 cup powdered sugar, add water and vanilla and mix.
• Add flour and mix well.
• Finally mix in pecans. (The batter will appear dry!).
• Form into 1-inch diameter balls, place on an ungreased cookie sheet and chill for one hour.
• Bake in a slow oven (roughly 300 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• While still hot, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar.
• Store in an airtight container.

DANISH WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream sugar and butter in a large bowl until blended.
• Add cream cheese, increase speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
• Gently fold in flour and nuts and stir until blended.
• Lightly flour hands and roll dough into 1 inch balls.
• Gently press balls flat with bottom of a small glass.
• Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until lightly browned and puffy, about 14 to 18 minutes.
• Allow cookies to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; tranfer to wire rack to cool briefly.
• While cookies are still warm, gently toss them in a plastic bag filled with powdered sugar.
• Remove and return to wire rack to cool completely.

SWEDISH CARDAMOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Place the butter and icing sugar in a food processor, and process until smooth.
• Pulse in the egg, vanilla, cardamom and zest until combined.
• Add the flour and process to make a soft dough.
• Divide dough in half,place onto two (12- inch long) sheets of plastic wrap, using the plastic, shape into 8-inches long by 2-inches in diameter logs.
• Refrigerate the dough logs for 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Scatter either the coloured sugars or toasted nuts on a work surface and roll the logs until completely coated.
• Cut into 1/4-inch thick cookies and space about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool cookies on the pan. Remove to airtight container.