Photo from Adobe Stock/Antony McAulay
“Mama’s cookies”are a light crispy cookie sandwiched with sweet cream filling
Mömmukökur
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2-1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1 portion (batch) butter icing
Yield: approximately 60 sandwich cookies
Instructions:
- Place the sugar, butter and corn syrup in a small pan over medium heat. Blend using wire whisk until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool completely then stir in the egg.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and ginger. Add in the syrup mixture and knead until smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roll out on a floured surface and cut into circles using cookie cutters or an overturned glass, making sure there is an even number of cookies.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.
- Cool completely before adding icing and assembling sandwich cookie.
Alternatives & Substitutions
Add 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa to dough for chocolate cookies and pair with coffee flavored butter icing.
Photo from Homestyle Icelandic Cooking for American Kitchens.
Smjörkrem
This butter icing is perfect for Mömmukökur and for layering in cakes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1-1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract (or other flavorings)
- Food coloring, optional (Using cake gel coloring instead of food coloring will make icing thicker and will hold up better if using in layer cakes.)
Instructions:
- Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add the egg yolk and cream.
- Add flavoring and food coloring, if using.
- Mix until smooth.
Alternatives & Substitutions
You can reduce the amount of powdered sugar to 1 cup to reduce sweetness.
Cream will make the icing smooth but can be eliminated.
Substitute flavorings with 1 tablespoon cocoa for chocolate flavor
Substitute 1 tablespoon strong coffee in place of flavorings to pair with chocolate layer.
Also from Homestyle Icelandic Cooking for American Kitchens:
Whether you’re looking to connect with your roots, try something new or already love Icelandic cooking, this book is a must for your cookbook shelf. This is a collection of 25 traditional everyday Icelandic recipes, translated with step-by-step instructions. These are some of the simple classic favorites that truly reflect the home-style Icelandic flavors and heritage. Growing up, Heidi Herman didn’t think about her mother’s Icelandic heritage much, though she was familiar with the story. Íeda Jónasdóttir Herman was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1925. Heidi’s father served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was stationed in Iceland. The two met at a USO dance and were married in Iceland in 1945, settling in the United States after the war. As an adult, Heidi came to appreciate the unique history and rich heritage in her Icelandic ancestry. This book is a true collaboration between the author and her mother, and recipes include alternatives and substitutions for an American kitchen.
Reprinted with permission from Homestyle Icelandic Cooking for American Kitchens by Heidi Herman and Íeda Jónasdóttir Herman and published by Hekla Publishing LLC, 2016.
