AI-generated image
Serinakaker
Almond and pearl sugar butter biscuits
Serinakaker: Norwegian butter biscuits topped with almonds and pearl sugar
Serinakaker are the easiest of the Norwegian seven Christmas biscuits, so they are often the first one children help to bake in Advent. Small balls of rich butter dough are flattened with a fork, brushed with egg and topped with chopped almonds and pearl sugar, then baked until the edges just colour. They taste of butter and vanilla, with a crunch on top. Chef's tip: use baker's ammonia (hjortetakksalt) if you can find it for the traditional crisp-light snap; baking powder works too but gives a softer biscuit.
- Total time
- 32 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz buttersoft
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar or extract
- 9 oz plain flour
- 1 egg whitelightly beaten
- 1 ⅜ oz almondsfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp pearl sugar
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays.
Step 2: Beat 5 ½ oz butter, 3 ½ oz caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla sugar or extract until pale, then beat in 1 egg.
Step 3: Mix in 9 oz plain flour and ½ tsp baker's ammonia or baking powder to a soft dough. Roll into 24 balls the size of a walnut and set them 4 cm apart.
10 minStep 4: Flatten each with a floured fork. Brush with 1 egg white and sprinkle with 1 ⅜ oz almonds and 2 tbsp pearl sugar.
Step 5: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just golden; the tops stay pale. A common mistake is overbaking, which turns these tender biscuits hard.
12 minStep 6: Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then on a rack. Store in an airtight tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does serinakaker take?
- About 32 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Basque burnt cheesecake
This crustless cheesecake was created in the early 1990s at La Viña, a pintxos bar in the old town of San Sebastián (Donostia) in the Basque Country, and is now famous around the world. It's baked very hot so the top caramelises almost black and the sides rise and crack, while the middle stays soft and creamy, almost runny. There's no base and no water bath, and the rough, rustic look is the point: it's lined with crumpled baking paper. La Viña uses a spoonful of wheat flour; cornflour does the same job and keeps it gluten free. Chef's tip: take it out of the oven while the centre still wobbles like a soft set custard; it firms up as it cools, and if it looks set in the oven, the middle will be dry instead of creamy.
Spanish
Almond cookiesOat, coconut and almond cookies
A big batch of crunchy cookies with rolled oats, coconut, chopped almonds and chunks of cooking chocolate. For a change, use cashew nuts instead of almonds.
Reform tortaWalnut meringue chocolate cake
Belgrade pastry shops have sold reform torta since the early twentieth century, and it is still the cake Serbian families bring out for birthdays, weddings and the slava. Three thin layers of walnut meringue, crisp at the edge and chewy inside, are stacked with a dense chocolate butter cream made with egg yolks cooked over steam until thick. It is very rich, so cut thin slices and serve with strong coffee. The usual slip is beating the butter into a chocolate mixture that is still warm, which melts it and splits the cream; let it cool to room temperature first. Chef's tip: assemble the cake the day before; overnight in the fridge the meringue softens a little and the cake slices cleanly with a hot knife.
Perfect for:Christmas