Piksrudkaker, butter cookies from Hedmark

Pikrudskaker are a regional favourite from Hedmark in Norway

I love finding recipes that are either really old and traditional or so regional that you rarely see them in cookery books. Piksrudskaker is one of those. They are regional specialty from the village of Grue in Hedmark in central Norway. There's not a lot written about them except for one intriguing story. There is a well-known and once well used railway line in Hedmark called Solørbanen. It goes from Kongsvinger to Elverum and would imagine that in days gone by it was a busy and popular route connected isolated villages and town. It closed down in 1994. But along this route in the village of Grue was a stop called "Piksrud". It was more of a short stopping place than a station, but this is the very place that our cookies are from. It makes me wonder if they were sold by someone who lived there and liked to share their produce with the train travellers. Perhaps there were even those who looked forward to the stop to buy their favourite treats.

Pikrudskaker are light, crispy and delicate

So many of our regions in the Nordics have dishes that you don't find anywhere else and the recipes are kept alive by the village ladies' groups and are passed down from generation to generation.

On that note, I am going to champion these simple cookies and urge you to make them at least once. They are light, crispy and delicious and would be perfect as either a quick snack or a more elegant accompaniment to coffee with friends.

Piksrudkaker. Makes about 50 cookies

Ingredients

4 eggs

500g / 1 lb 1 oz white sugar

250g / 9 oz melted butter

500g / 1 lb 1 oz plain, all purpose flour

2 teaspoons hornsalt (bakers ammonia)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

Sift together the hornsalt and flour. Whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until thick and creamy. Add the melted butter and flour alternately in two batches. Cover the cookie mix and refrigerate for a few hours until it's set a little.

Preheat the oven to 170C / 335F. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper

Divide the cookie mix in two to make it easier to work with. Put one half back in the fridge. On a lightly floured board roll out one half of the mixture until it's 3-4 mm thick and cut out using either a cookie cutter or a glass that is about 5-6cm (2 inches) in diameter.

Place the cookies on the baking sheet leaving at least 4 cm/ 2 inches apert to allow for spreading. Bake for about 7-10 minutes until they are a light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Vær så god!

For more traditional and regional recipes have a browse through the Nordic recipes section in the main menu. You will find everything from Finnish blueberry tart to Sami inspired stews.