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Knäck (Swedish Christmas toffee)
Chewy-crisp cream and syrup toffee with almonds, set in tiny paper cups
No Swedish julbord is complete without knäck. Families make it in the weeks before Christmas Eve, often with children filling the little paper cases, and it sits on the table beside saffron buns, gingersnaps and ischoklad. Equal parts of cream, golden syrup and sugar boil down into a deep caramel that sets glossy and firm, then gives way to a pleasant chew; chopped almonds add crunch. It is lovely with strong coffee or glögg made from berry juice. Knäck has never contained egg: the cream is boiled until its milk sugars caramelise and the mixture reaches the hard-ball stage, so the sugar itself sets the toffee. Some cooks stir in breadcrumbs; they are left out here so the toffee stays gluten free. Chef's tip: test the toffee by dropping a little into cold water rather than trusting the clock alone; the common mistake is stopping too early, which leaves knäck that sticks to your teeth and to its paper.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- ¾ cup double cream
- ¾ cup golden syruplight syrup
- 6 ½ oz granulated sugar
- 1 oz butter
- 2 ⅛ oz blanched almondscoarsely chopped
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Set out about 40 small paper confectionery cases on a tray, doubled up so they hold their shape. Have a glass of cold water ready for testing.
Step 2: Put ¾ cup double cream, ¾ cup golden syrup, 6 ½ oz granulated sugar and 1 oz butter in a heavy saucepan of at least 3 litres, as it bubbles up. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves and it comes to the boil.
5 minStep 3: Boil steadily over a medium heat, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the toffee turns a light caramel brown and reaches 250°F, the hard-ball stage. A drop in cold water should firm up and break with a snap when pressed.
20 minStep 4: Take the pan off the heat and stir in 2 ⅛ oz blanched almonds.
Step 5: Working quickly, spoon the toffee into the paper cases, filling them about two-thirds. If it gets too thick, warm the pan briefly over a low heat. Scatter a few flakes of 1 pinch flaky sea salt on top, if you like.
Step 6: Leave to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until firm and no longer tacky.
30 minStep 7: Store in an airtight tin in a cool place for up to 3 weeks, with baking paper between the layers.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 135 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does knäck (Swedish Christmas toffee) take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of double cream?
- Whipping cream, same amount (less rich; whips softer).
- What can I use instead of granulated sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Christmas