Icelandic recipe of the month: My mother’s kleina

Traditional Icelandic desserts are very plain, very simple, very commonplace. But absolutely delicious – or at least we think so. One of which is the kleina, or cruller.

You can find the kleina in all grocery stores, but of course nothing beats a scrumptious, homemade one.

My mother makes the best kleina in all of the world and I’m so happy she let me share the recipe with you. She’s an old-school baker and manages to make everything she bakes, no matter how simple it is, into a feast for both the eyes and mouth. So I give you, the recipe of the month: My mother’s kleina.

Kleina

Ingredients:

150 g margarine
200 g sugar
900 g + 100 g flour
3 eggs
6 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cardamom extract
1/2 l butter milk
1 kg vegetable fat

Directions:

Margarine is melted over medium heat in a pot and set aside to cool. All ingredients, except the fat, is put together in a big bowl and mixed together. The dough is then put on a flat surface and kneaded with 100 g of flour. The vegetable fat is melted in a large pot and while it’s getting nice and hot the dough is split into two parts and rolled thin. Each kleina should not be big and should be cut out in the shape of a diamond with a hole in the middle. Then one end of the kleina is pulled through the middle. The crullers are then fried in the fat until they’re golden brown but they have to be turned half way. Then it’s best to place the crullers on a wire rack, covered with toilet paper. Sort of like frying donuts – only better!

I of course understand if you don’t have the patience or time to fry your own kleina, but I urge you to grab a bag in the next grocery store if ever you’re in Iceland. You won’t regret it!