Hjónabandssæla – Blissful Marriage Cake, an Icelandic Tradition

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Hjónabandssæla - Blissful Marriage Cake, an Icelandic Tradition
The traditional Icelandic cake, or more precisely bar cookie made of a simple crumble and jam.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Mix
  • 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal or barley flakes
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
  • 2 sticks salted butter softened (8 oz)
  • 1 egg beaten (optional)
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Mix
  • 2 cups old fashioned oatmeal or barley flakes
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
  • 2 sticks salted butter softened (8 oz)
  • 1 egg beaten (optional)
Instructions
  1. Mix dry ingredients with your fingers or a fork: flour, oatmeal or barley flakes, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar
  2. Add soft butter to dry ingredients and work it in with your fingers until it is moist enough to stick together when you squeeze it in your hand. If not moist enough or you want a sturdier, less crumbly result (if you are baking in a springform for example) beat one egg and add it to the mix.
  3. Scatter two-thirds of the mix into the pan and press it down into an even base layer. Spoon the jam onto the pressed dough and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Add the remaining crumble mixture either crumbled evenly over the jam or concentrate it into stripes of dough, giving you a lattice look.
    Hjónabandssæla or Icelandic Blissful Marriage "Cake"
  4. Place in preheated 375° oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crumble top is golden in spots, the bottom crust is nicely browned and the jam is bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Recipe Notes

This recipe is extremely versatile. You can use AP  or barley or spelt flour instead of the GF mix.  You can change the context of the dish by varying the amount of jam you use and the type of baking pan.  For example, if you use less jam and bake it in a rectangular pan you get bar cookies.  Use a pie plate with a thick layer of jam and you have a pie.  Add the egg to the crumble, use a springform pan, and remove the dessert from the springform and you get a  "cake" to serve on a plate.

 

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