Vanilla Wreaths are another Christmas cookie that is quintessentially Danish. Though they are also eaten outside Christmas. They are sweet, crisp and full of almonds and vanilla. The cookie goes back to around 1840. Here is my recipe as well as one of Madam Mangor’s recipes from 1866, that I am yet to test out.
These cookies were developed by Jewish bakers in Copenhagen in the early 1800’s at some point. They are part of the Danish Christmas cookie pantheon. If you ask most of my family they are the best part. There are many versions of this recipe, I have found a few for you. My family’s recipe as well as two from 1890 – they are quite different.
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Title: Historisk kogebog: kogekunst i Danmark 1616-1910
Author: Else-Marie Boyhus
Genre: Historical cookbook, food history, renaissance, early modern, modern
If you have any interest in Danish food history between 1600 and 1900, then this is a must read! The book is both a book about food history and it is a cookbook in the sense that it is full of recipes from historic Danish cookbooks. I have already tried to cook already tried a few of the recipes and her translations are easy to work from. There is a huge number of illustrations that makes it book wonderful to look at and inviting. All of the illustrations are from the period they are accompanying.
Title: Historien om danskernes mad i 15.000 år
Author: Bettina Buhl
Genre: Food history, Denmark
The scope of this book is kind of impressive – it tries to cover Danish food history. Half of the book is however based around food after 1850 where there are of course more source material. For my purposes that is sadly where I find it least interesting. And I did find that the part of the book that covers pre-1660 is way better – in my opinion. The focus of the book everyday cooking rather than cooking by the elite.