Kransekake (Norwegian Almond Ring Cake)
Description
Kransekake is a traditional Norwegian cake made by stacking 18 iced almond cookie rings to form a spectacular Christmas, wedding, or birthday cake.
Ingredients
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4 1/3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
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2 1/2 cups finely ground blanched almonds
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2 1/2 cups finely ground unblanched almonds
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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3 egg whites
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1 egg white
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2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
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1 teaspoon lemon juice
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2
Combine 4 ⅓ cups confectioners' sugar, ground almonds, and baking powder in a large bowl; stir in 3 egg whites, one at a time, to form a firm dough. Knead dough for 2 minutes until it holds together and doesn't fall apart easily.
3
Roll dough into 18 ropes, the thickness of your index finger, making each rope a little longer than the next. Shape each rope into a ring; arrange rings on the prepared baking sheets.
4
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes, watching smaller rings carefully, as they may finish baking before the larger ones. Cool rings completely on baking sheets.
5
Whisk 1 egg white in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until foamy; gradually whisk in 2 cups confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until thickened; stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Pour icing into a piping bag fitted with a small tip.
6
Pipe a thin ring of icing onto the base of the largest ring and adhere it to a serving plate. Pipe icing in a zig-zag pattern over the ring. Stack remaining cake rings on top, from largest to smallest, piping icing in a zig-zag pattern between each ring. Set cake aside to allow icing to set before serving.