Kleina

Ingredients

Dough

• 500 gplain flour
• 150 gsugar
• 60 gbutter, softened
• 2eggs
• 150 mlmilk or buttermilk
• 2 tspbaking powder
• 1 tbspground cardamom
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ tspsalt

To fry

• beef tallow or oil, for deep frying

Directions

1. Rub the butter into the flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, zest and salt.
2. Cardamom is the flavour of the whole thing and it goes in by the tablespoon. Icelandic baking uses it the way other traditions use vanilla.
3. Beat the eggs into the milk and bring everything together into a firm dough.
4. Keep it firm. A soft dough cannot hold the twist and it drinks fat in the pan.
5. Rest it 30 minutes in a cool place.
6. Roll it out to about 5 mm thick.
7. Cut it into diamonds about 8 cm long, using a fluted cutter or a knife.
8. Cut a slit lengthways through the middle of each diamond, about 2 cm long.
9. Pull one pointed end of the diamond through that slit and let it fall back.
10. That pull-through is the kleina and it is the only shaping there is. It also stops the dough curling in the fat.
11. Heat the fat to 175°C (345°F).
12. Traditionally they are fried in beef tallow, which gives a distinct flavour and is still what many Icelandic households use.
13. Fry them a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown.
14. Do not crowd the pan. Packed in, the temperature drops and they take up fat instead of frying.
15. Drain them on a rack and let them cool.
16. They are eaten at room temperature with coffee rather than hot, and they keep several days in a tin.
17. The Danish klejner is the same pastry, brought north with Danish rule, and Iceland kept it and made the cardamom heavier.

Technique

• They are dense and cakey rather than light, which is correct.
• Tallow makes a real difference and is worth trying at least once.
• They are standard at Christmas and at any occasion involving a coffee pot.

Substitutions

• Neutral oil in place of tallow.
• Buttermilk instead of milk, for a slightly tangier dough.

Variations

• Klejner, the Danish version, usually lighter and crisper.
• With extra lemon zest.
• Made small, as a bite.

History

Twisted fried dough brought to Iceland from Denmark during centuries of Danish rule; it is fried in lamb fat and eaten with coffee.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kleina?

Kleina is a snack from Iceland: twisted cardamom doughnuts, a coffee companion. Twisted fried dough brought to Iceland from Denmark during centuries of Danish rule; it is fried in lamb fat and eaten with coffee.

How long does Kleina take to make?

Kleina takes 30 min plus 30 min resting of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 30. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Kleina?

Yes, within limits. Neutral oil in place of tallow. Buttermilk instead of milk, for a slightly tangier dough.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kleina?

Cardamom is the flavour of the whole thing and it goes in by the tablespoon. Icelandic baking uses it the way other traditions use vanilla.