Ingredients
Dough
- 400 gplain flour
- 150 gcaster sugar
- 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
- 1 teaspoonground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 2eggs
- 200 mlmilk
- 50 gbutter, melted
- 150 graisins
To fry
- lard or neutral oil, for deep frying
To finish
- caster sugar, for rolling
- or icing sugar, for dusting
Directions
- Drain them thoroughly and pat them dry afterwards. Wet raisins make the batter loose and spit in the fat. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and cardamom together. Add the salt and mix it through the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs with the milk in a separate bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Stir it together with a wooden spoon. Add the melted butter and stir it through. Fold in the raisins last of all. It should be thick and hold its shape on a spoon.
- Add a splash of milk if it is too stiff. Add a spoonful of flour if it is too loose. Let it stand for ten minutes before frying. Heating the fat needs care and full attention.
- Pour it into a deep pan to a depth of eight centimetres. Never fill a pan more than halfway with frying fat. Heat it to about 170C and check it with a thermometer. Too hot and they brown outside while staying raw within.
- Keep a lid within reach in case the fat catches fire. Never pour water onto burning fat under any circumstances. Dip two spoons into the hot fat first so the batter slides off. Scoop a rough ball of batter with one spoon. Fry five or six at a time and no more than that.
- Turn them with a slotted spoon as they colour. Fry them for about five minutes until deep golden. Break one open to check the middle before frying the rest. The inside should be light, cooked and slightly cakey.
- Adjust the heat between batches to hold it steady. Draining them properly keeps them from being greasy. Lift them out onto plenty of kitchen paper. Let the fat come back up to temperature between batches. Finishing them is done while they are still warm. Roll them in caster sugar while they are hot. The sugar sticks to the warm surface.
Technique
- Astarpungar belong to the Icelandic tradition of small fried and baked items served with coffee, alongside kleinur and pancakes.
- Cardamom is a common spice in Icelandic and wider Nordic baking.
Substitutions
- Currants or chopped dates can replace raisins.
- Any neutral oil replaces lard, though lard gives the traditional flavour.
Variations
- Kleinur are the twisted Icelandic fried pastries made from a similar dough.
- Some households add lemon zest alongside the cardamom.
- A version with no raisins at all is made for those who dislike them.
History
An Icelandic country baking staple whose name translates as love balls.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ástarpungar?
Ástarpungar is a dessert from Iceland: small raisin doughnut balls fried in fat and eaten with coffee. An Icelandic country baking staple whose name translates as love balls.
How long does Ástarpungar take to make?
Ástarpungar takes 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 30 balls. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Ástarpungar?
Yes, within limits. Currants or chopped dates can replace raisins. Any neutral oil replaces lard, though lard gives the traditional flavour.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ástarpungar?
Pour it into a deep pan to a depth of eight centimetres. Never fill a pan more than halfway with frying fat. Heat it to about 170C and check it with a thermometer. Too hot and they brown outside while staying raw within.
