Despite the name, which means poor man, Fattigmann (fried diamonds) is one of the richest things on the Christmas table. So many egg yolks and so much double cream and fat go into them that baking them makes you poor, the old folks say. The dough has to rest overnight, so start the day before.
Black Month pack What you need
The recipe makes about 50 biscuits.
- 6 egg yolks
- 75 g sugar
- 100 ml double cream
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp brandy, can be left out
- About 300 g plain flour
- About 1 litre frying oil or 1 kg coconut fat for frying
How to make it
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale.
- Whip the cream until stiff, and fold it in.
- Stir in the cardamom and brandy, and mix in the flour to make a soft dough.
- Cover the dough, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
- Roll the dough out to about 2 mm on a floured surface.
- Cut diamonds of about 5 × 10 cm with a pastry wheel, and make a slit in the middle of each.
- Pull one corner through the slit to make a knot.
- Heat the fat to 180 °C, and fry just a few biscuits at a time.
- Turn them when they are golden, and lay them on kitchen paper.
Frying safely in fat
Use a tall, heavy pan, and never fill it more than halfway. A cooking thermometer is the best tool. If you do not have one, drop a small piece of dough into the fat. It should rise and turn golden in about 1 minute. Make sure no water ever gets into the fat, and never leave the pan. If the fat catches fire, put a lid on it and turn off the hob. Never use water.
When the biscuits do not turn out right
If the biscuits soak up a lot of fat, the fat is too cold. If they turn dark before they are crisp, it is too hot. Fry only a few at a time, as too many lower the temperature. Roll thinly, or they turn chewy.
How to store Fattigmann
Let the biscuits cool completely before they go in the tin. The fat makes them sensitive to heat and light, so keep the tin in the dark, in the coldest place you have. They should be eaten within about a week. If you want to bake early, they can be frozen.
Food Container 2,800 ml679 NOKContainer, lid and pump in the same pack. The pump draws out the air and charges with the included USB-C cable.
Frequently asked questions
Does the dough have to rest overnight?
Yes, ideally. Cold dough is easier to roll thinly, and the biscuits soak up less fat.
Can I leave out the brandy?
Yes. The biscuits turn a little less crisp, but still good. Many people use a little extra cardamom instead.
What do I do with the fat afterwards?
Let it cool, strain it, and use it for Smultringer (doughnut rings). Never pour fat down the sink.
What do I do with the egg whites?
You have six whites left over here. That is enough for two batches of coconut macaroons.
Is the pan already out? Then you might as well make Smultringer and rosette biscuits.
A large container for your Christmas baking
The food container holds 2,800 ml, and the pump draws the air out around the biscuits.
See the food container →- Pump included
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- Lid with clips
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- Transparent container