Ingredients
Crumbs
- 300 gLatvian dark rye bread, rupjmaize, stale
- 80 gsugar
- 1 tspground cinnamon
- 2 tbspbutter
Cream
- 500 mldouble cream, very cold
- 40 gicing sugar
- 1 tspvanilla
Fruit
- 300 gcranberry jam, or lingonberry, or a thick blackcurrant jam
Optional
- 2 tbspRiga Black Balsam, or dark rum
To serve
- in glasses, chilled
Directions
- Use bread that is properly stale, a few days old, which crumbles rather than squashing. Keep the crumbs coarse rather than fine. Melt the butter in a wide pan, add the crumbs, sugar and cinnamon, and toast over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir constantly and keep them moving, because the sugar caramelises onto the crumbs and burns quickly if left. They are ready when they smell strongly toasted, look darker, and feel dry and crisp rather than damp.
- Spread them on a tray and cool them completely. They must be cold before they meet the cream, or they melt it. Whip the very cold cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to firm peaks.
- Whip it firm rather than soft, because it has to hold distinct layers without slumping into the crumbs. Stop the moment it holds a peak, since over-whipped cream goes grainy.
- Layer it in glasses rather than a bowl, because seeing the stripes is half the pleasure of it. Press each crumb layer down lightly so it holds.
- Keep a spoonful of crumbs back for the top. Now chill it for at least 4 hours, and overnight is better. Scatter the reserved crumbs over just before serving.
- Add the top crumbs at the last moment so they stay crisp against the softened layers below. Serve cold, in the glass, with a long spoon.
Technique
- Rupjmaize is sold in Latvian and Baltic shops and is worth seeking out.
- Cranberry and lingonberry are the traditional fruits and both are properly sour.
- It keeps two days refrigerated, though the crumbs soften further.
Substitutions
- Any dense dark sourdough rye, though the Latvian one is distinctive.
- Blackcurrant or sour cherry jam in place of cranberry.
Variations
- Made in one large dish rather than glasses.
- With Riga Black Balsam through the jam.
- With curd cheese folded into the cream.
History
A Latvian dessert built from the country’s dark rye bread, layered with berry jam and cream and chilled before serving.
Frequently asked questions
What is Rupjmaizes kārtojums?
Rupjmaizes kārtojums is a dessert from Latvia: layers of toasted rye crumbs, cranberry jam and whipped cream in a glass. A Latvian dessert built from the country’s dark rye bread, layered with berry jam and cream and chilled before serving.
How long does Rupjmaizes kārtojums take to make?
Rupjmaizes kārtojums takes 25 min plus 4 hr chilling of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Rupjmaizes kārtojums?
Yes, within limits. Any dense dark sourdough rye, though the Latvian one is distinctive. Blackcurrant or sour cherry jam in place of cranberry.
What is the most important thing to get right in Rupjmaizes kārtojums?
Use bread that is properly stale, a few days old, which crumbles rather than squashing. Keep the crumbs coarse rather than fine. Melt the butter in a wide pan, add the crumbs, sugar and cinnamon, and toast over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
