Soft Pretzels - Kommenskringler

Soft Pretzels - Kommenskringler

I believe the soft pretzels originate from Germany. The danish version contains caraway seeds. Back in the days, you could get them at most bakeries in Denmark, but nowadays, you only see them at old traditional bakeries.

Growing up, we had them occasionally,  because my mom loved caraway seeds, but I hadn’t had them for years before I met my husband, and he reintroduced me to them again.  

I love the soft, sweet bread with the characteristic taste of caraway seeds.

Here is how I made them

Ingredients:

• 500 g all-pupose flour

• 100 g butter

• 50 g live yeast (or 12 g dry active yeast)

• 4 tablespoons caraway seeds

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 300 g milk 

• 1 egg (for egg wash)

Directions:

Warm the milk and melt the butter in it.  Mix together flour, sugar, salt and caraway seeds. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry  and knead the dough for about 10 minutes on medium. The dough should be soft and almost sticky.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a pretzel, and let the pretzels rise until doubled in size in a warm place. 

Brush pretzels with egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds. 

Bake the pretzels for about 10 minutes at 485℉ (250℃). 

Let cool on a wire rack.

Øllebrød - Danish rye bread porridge

Øllebrød med meget flødeskum -  Danish rye bread porridge with a big scoop whipped cream.

I made øllebrød, another traditional danish dish. But when  I wanted to write this post I didn’t know how to translate "øllebrød" - So I tried Goggle Translate, which suggested "beer soup". But it didn’t sound right, especially when I don't use any beer in the recipe. So I ended up with the Danish rye bread porridge because its a porridge made from rye bread, right?

My mom loved øllebrød, she could eat it for every meal, while my dad hated it. So she had it mostly as breakfast, and as her daughter I learned to love it too.

In Denmark you give children øllebrød for breakfast when they are starting to eat solid foods. It's very filling and will keep you full for at long time, kinda like oatmeal. Øllebrød is sweet and that's why I add some lemon zest to it. But beware you can only eat a little portion, because it's so filling.

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

• 400 g seedless rye bread
• 900 g water (to get desired thickness)
• 120 g brown sugar
• 1 lemon, zest of 

Directions:

The bread can be leftover stale bread. Cut the bread into cubes, and put them into a pot. Add water just to cover. With stale bread you would let it sit overnight. With fresh bread you can start to cook it right away.

Boil the bread and water with the brown sugar, and stir occasionally. To get rid of the lumps you can either use an immersion blender or strain the porridge through a sift. 

Add more water to get the right consistency. Take the porridge of the heat and add the lemon zest.

Serve the hot Øllebrød with cold milk or whipped cream.

Waipi'o Stack Breakfast a la me

Waipi'o Stack Breakfast a la me

On my first vacation to Hawaii, I had a Waipi'o Stack Breakfast at Island Lava Java. One of the best breakfasts ever. I crave salt for breakfast, so for sure the Waipi'o Stack is right up my alley. Well, the setting didn't hurt the experience in any way. 

The Waipi'o Stack is two eggs over easy, stacked on wheat toast with applewood smoked bacon, fresh avocado, tomato, arugula and chipotle aioli.  

This is my take on it:

The view from the cafe.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 slices sour dough bread (preferably Tartine Country Bread)

• 4 eggs

• 4-6 slices applewood smoked bacon

• 1 avocado

• 1 tomato

• 1 handful arugula

• chipotle aioli

Directions:

Cook the bacon until crisp using your favorite way, in a skillet, in the oven or in the microwave. Set aside.

Rinse the arugula, and pad it dry in a kitchen towel. Wash and slice the tomato; peel and slice the avocado and toast the bread.

Crack eggs in two bowls, two eggs in each.

Heat a small non-stick skillet over low heat and add butter. As soon as the butter stops foaming, add two eggs to the pan. Cook eggs over low heat until the whites stops being translucent. Now gently flip the eggs with a spatula/turner, be careful not to break the yolks. Count to 10 and flip the eggs back or put at plate upside down on the pan, and flip the whole thing.

 Assemble the stack:

Spread chipotle aioli on bread, add arugula, then tomato slices, bacon and eggs. Place the avocado on top. Serve immediately with a cup a fresh fruit.

Enjoy! 

The Danish version:

Waipi'o Stack

Ingredients:

• 2 skiver godt brød.

• 4 æg

• 4-6 skiver god bacon

• 1 avocado

• 1 tomat

• 1 håndfuld rucola

• chipotle mayonnaise

Rist brødet og steg baconen.  Bland mayonnaise med chipotle. Spejl æggene. 
Smør brødet med mayonnaisen, læg rucolaen på, derefter tomatskiver, den stegte bacon og til sidst læg æggene på. 

Skær avocadoen i skiver og læg dem ovenpå æggene. 

Server straks.