Thursday, October 22, 2015

Swedish Skorps - Similar to German Zwieback

 by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo DSCF7362_zpsdi7fnpqo.jpg
Grandma Olson's Swedish Skorps

Skorps are a delicious Swedish dunking treat - the real Swedish term is: "Skorpor" or "Skorpa".  However, since this is my "Yooper" mother-in-law's Swedish grandmother's recipe, I felt that I needed to keep the name the same: SKORPS.  My mother-in-law spent all of her junior high & high school years in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (therefore called a "Yooper") and she recalls only ever calling this Swedish treat a Skorp (no "a" or "or" at the end).

Grandma Olson is actually my husband's great grandmother - she was Sweden born but moved to Michigan's U.P. (Upper Peninsula) in her 20's & married another "Swede" there in Michigan. 


This recipe is actually my mother-in-law's recipe (which I then tweaked to work in a bread machine).  My mother-in-law can remember watching her grandmother take day-old cardamom buns, cutting them in half or in three sections and placing them in the wood stove warmer to dry out (therefore making Skorps).  I can imagine that her kitchen must have smelled amazing with the scent mixture of burning wood and cardamom!   

A few years ago I talked about the spice Cardamom on this blog - click HERE if you missed that post.


Grandma Olson by Angie Ouellette-Tower for godsgrowinggarden.com photo scan0032_zpsb15954c0.jpg
Grandma Olson


1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (melted & cooled to lukewarm)
1 1/2 tablespoon dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 egg (beaten)
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour (bread flour is best)
1/3 cup sugar (plus extra for the top)
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter then add 1 teaspoon instead)

In your bread machine pour the liquid ingredients into the bread pan first (the milk, cooled melted butter, water & egg).  Then add the flour on top of the liquid ingredients (I start with 3 cups of flour - later if the dough is too sticky - then I will add 1/4 more at a time) (you will also need a little extra flour when you form the rolls).  Now make a well in the flour & add the sugar & then make another little well in the sugar to add the yeast.  Add the cardamom & salt around the outer edge of the flour (see the picture below) (this is necessary for optimum yeast activation - If you are not using a bread machine then you will need to "proof" the yeast first  - click HERE to view "Proofing Yeast for Bread Making" )

Set your bread machine on the "dough" operation & stick around until it is mixed to see if you need to add a little more flour (as mentioned above) - you might need to touch the dough midway through the mixing stage  - Grandma Olson used to say that the dough should feel like a baby's bottom (so I'm told - I never met her & I also never had children so this doesn't really  help me but all of you mom's out there should know what this means).
Cardamom Braid by Angie Ouellette-Tower for godsgrowinggarden.com photo 008_zpsa1343589.jpg

Once the dough phase has finished on your bread machine - remove the dough & "punch" it down & allow to rest for about 5 minutes.  Divide the dough into 16 equal parts & on a lightly floured surface roll each part with your hands into roll (see picture below)
by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo DSCF7356_zpslnrtgywj.jpg

After rolling all 16 pieces  - place on a parchment lined baking sheet & place in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes or until almost doubled in size.

by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo DSCF7357_zpsoauxwz16.jpg
Optional:  Spread a little melted butter on each roll and sprinkle granulated sugar on top (about 1/8 cup - total - for all 16) and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until desired doneness is achieved  (I did NOT add the extra sugar because I like the basic German Zwieback flavor but if you like sweeter treats then add the extra sugar).

by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo DSCF7358_zpsybvds997.jpg
Remove from the pan and cool on a drying rack.
Now, slice each Skorp in 2 or 3 sections (cut vertically, not horizontally) and place on that baking sheet again (see picture below)
by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo DSCF7360_zpso1tr3o7a.jpg
Bake in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes and then flip each Skorp.  Bake the other side for another 10 minutes.  Continue flipping & baking at 10 minute intervals until your desired crispness & color is achieved (this step actually took me a total of 40 minutes).

by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo DSCF7363_zps4u6qnu82.jpg
Remove from oven, allow to cool.

by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo DSCF7364_zpsk5ddjtxe.jpg


Serve with Coffee, tea, or milk & ENJOY!


by Angie Ouellette-Tower for http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/ photo 2015-10-19_zpsjdl0ea44.jpg

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3 comments:

  1. My great grandparents were Swedish, so I might have to try this! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love these! I live in Finland and here we call them "Pulla" :)

    ReplyDelete

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