Location: Northern Europe
Population: 6 million
Capital: Copenhagen
Geography: A peninsula and archipelago of over 400 islands dividing the North Sea from the Baltic
Language: Danish
Signature flavours: Pork, potato, apple, rye bread, dairy, cabbage

The Menu

We’ve never been to Denmark, but we’ve explored several countries nearby, and there were definitely some familiar elements in Danish cuisine that hearkened back to our travels in Germany, Austria, Netherlands, and Estonia. I was excited to try my hand at another rye bread (they so often challenge my baking skills) and some dishes that were completely new to me.

Rugbrød: A dense bread made with dark rye flour, whole wheat flour, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, molasses, and buttermilk.

Prep and cooking time: 4 hours
Difficulty: 4/5

Smørrebrød: Open-faced sandwiches made with rugbrød and topped with a combination of offerings — egg salad, cheese, arugula, tomato, and smoked herring.

Prep and cooking time: 15 min
Difficulty: 1/5

Stegt Flæsk: Pork (I used vegan sausages) served alongside boiled potatoes smothered in rich parsley sauce.

Prep and cooking time: 30 min
Difficulty: 2/5

Wienerbrød: Puff pastry braided around a filling of raspberry jam, and finished with a delicate almond icing.

Prep and cooking time: 30 min
Difficulty: 2/5

Aebleskiver: Traditional Danish pancakes made in a special pan that shapes them into rounds, served with icing sugar and jam.

Prep and cooking time: 45 min
Difficulty: 3/5

The Shopping List

I had a few things on my list that were not to be found at my local supermarket. Luckily we have a European market not too far away which provided the herring and cheese. The aebleskiver pan, but a complete coincidence, was already in our kitchen, having been purchased for Zambia, one assignment earlier.

The Meal

Naturally, the first thing I started for this assignment was that staple of so many culinary cultures — the bread. Dark ryes are endemic to Scandinavian tables. The bread I chose was one of strong, complex flavours and a dense crumb. The bread would be the star in the smørrebrød sandwich platter I had planned. 

My first challenge was finding that my jar of yeast, in the refrigerator for well over a year, was dead. The second was that even with replacement live yeast, the bread didn’t want to rise. At all. Rugbrød doesn’t rise much, but it should rise a bit, and I was distressed as the hours passed and my dough stayed inert. Finally, I cheated, added a touch of baking powder, and threw it in the oven. It turned out perfectly.

Everything else on my menu came together in a snap, but I knew from the outset that aebleskiver might be difficult. I had watched several videos detailing the process of filling each little hollow in the pan, then turning the batter ninety degrees as it cooked on the bottom. The first batch I made were slightly misshapen and very undercooked inside. The second batch was golden brown and fluffy. The third batch was the same. I had mastered aebleskiver.

Eric exclaimed when dinner was served and he got his first glimpse of the table. I was proud of the beautiful sandwich spread, the gorgeously-braided Wienerbrød (interestingly, this means Vienna bread, but in Canada, we call these types of pastries Danishes).

The sandwiches were delicious, of course, and Eric loved the stegt flæsk — I didn’t love the combination of parsley and nutmeg in the sauce. We washed down the dinner with cold glasses of Carlsberg Danish beer.

But dessert took the cake. Pun intended. The Wienerbrød was almond-y and jammy-sweet. The aebleskiver were scrumptious little pancake clouds. I could have easily eaten a dozen. The next time I feel like pancakes for breakfast, I’ll be reaching for the aebleskiver pan.

Links
https://mydanishkitchen.com/2015/03/23/rugbrod-uden-surdej-rye-bread-without-sourdough-starter/
https://mydanishkitchen.com/2015/05/04/smorrebrod-egg-and-tomato/
https://mydanishkitchen.com/2011/01/10/wienerbr%c3%b8d-danish-pastry-braid/
https://madensverden.dk/persillesovs/
https://nordicfoodliving.com/original-recipe-danish-aebleskiver-pancake-balls/
https://www.daringgourmet.com/aebleskiver/

Disclaimer: I’m not a professional chef. I’m just a passionate cook with a curiosity for flavours I’ve never tried. For great recipes from gifted local cooks, follow the links above.