Ingredients
Batter
- 40egg yolks
- 1.2 kgcaster sugar
- 500 gpotato flour
- a pinch of salt
Equipment
- a spettekaka spit, a tapered wooden or metal cone
- a slow rotating mechanism over gentle heat
- baking paper to wrap the spit
- a funnel or piping bag
To serve
- sawn into pieces
- with coffee
- or a glass of dessert wine
Directions
- Wrap the spit in baking paper, which is what lets the finished cake be slid off at the end. Potato flour rather than wheat is what makes spettekaka set into a brittle, sandy, lace-like structure rather than a chewy one, and it also keeps it gluten free.
- Beat the egg yolks with the sugar for a long time, until very pale, thick and completely dissolved.
- Beat until no grain of sugar remains, which takes considerable time. Fold in the potato flour gently. The batter should be thick and pourable, like a heavy cream.
- Wait for each layer to set before adding more. Build it up layer by layer over three to five hours, gradually thickening the cone.
- Let it cool completely, then slide it off the paper-wrapped spit. It is far too brittle and too hard for a knife, and sawing is not a joke.
- Cut it into pieces from the bottom up, keeping the shape as long as possible.
- Serve it with coffee, or with a glass of sweet wine, and eat it with the fingers. It is extremely sweet and very dry and a small piece is a portion.
Technique
- It holds EU protected geographical status as Skånsk spettekaka.
- It is naturally gluten free, being made with potato flour.
- Specialist bakeries in Skåne make it to order and sell the saws alongside.
Substitutions
- Buying one from a Skåne baker, which is what Swedes do.
- There is no domestic equivalent.
Variations
- Made small, as individual cones.
- With elaborate spun sugar decoration.
- Made in different heights for different occasions.
History
A Skåne speciality with EU protected status, built by dripping batter onto a slowly turning spit.
Frequently asked questions
What is Spettekaka?
Spettekaka is a dessert from Sweden: tall lacy cone of egg and sugar batter roasted on a spit. A Skåne speciality with EU protected status, built by dripping batter onto a slowly turning spit.
How long does Spettekaka take to make?
Spettekaka takes 1 hr of preparation and 3 to 5 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 1 large cake. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Spettekaka?
Yes, within limits. Buying one from a Skåne baker, which is what Swedes do. There is no domestic equivalent.
What is the most important thing to get right in Spettekaka?
Wrap the spit in baking paper, which is what lets the finished cake be slid off at the end. Potato flour rather than wheat is what makes spettekaka set into a brittle, sandy, lace-like structure rather than a chewy one, and it also keeps it gluten free.
