Recipe Corner: Lucy's Cats
Translation: Árni Pétur Árnason
Christmas is fast approaching and therefore the mind is prone to wander back home to family and friends. Christmas traditions, such as baking and decorating, can bring us closer to loved ones from whom we are physically separated. Additionally, they can be a good introduction to foreign culinary culture and traditions.
One of the Student Paper’s journalists met up with Ingvild Reed, a Norwegian exchange student, to talk about Norwegian Christmas traditions and culinary culture. Ingvild shared her favourite Christmas recipe and told the story behind it.
The tradition of Saint Lucy’s Day is probably strongest in Sweden but has spread to other Nordic countries, like Norway. Saint Lucy’s Day is celebrated on the 13th of December each year. In Norway, it is mainly celebrated in kindergartens and schools, but some workplaces have been known to observe it as well. The celebrations most often include a parade and singing a song that commemorates Saint Lucy’s life, while everyone is dressed in a white gown or dress. A baked good called Lucy’s cats is also distributed to the people.
In accordance with an old tradition, Lucy’s cats include saffron, which is notoriously the most expensive spice in the world and is often only available in specialty stores. In recent times, it has become more common to use turmeric instead, which gives the cookies a nice, yellow colour. The yellow colour is said to represent both the sun and life and the shape of Lucy’s cats is moulded in ancient shapes that represented the sun and life. Lucy’s cats are mainly baked in preparation for Saint Lucy’s Day but can be enjoyed during Advent.
Lucy’s cats
Medium Difficulty • takes about 90 minutes to make
Makes about 20 cookies.
Ingredients
150 g margarine or vegan butter
5 dl whole milk, oat milk or other plant-based milk
50 g yeast
1 g saffron or ½ tsp. turmeric
150 g sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. cardamom extract
13 dl flour
For glazing and decorating:
1 beaten egg, oat milk or other plant-based milk
1 dl raisins
1. Melt the butter and add the milk. Then, add the saffron or turmeric to the mixture and set aside. Crumble the yeast in a bowl and stir a bit of the warm milk-mixture. Slowly add the rest of the liquid whilst stirring slowly.
2. Stir in flour, cardamom extract, salt and sugar. Let the dough rise under a towel at room temperature for 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
3. Spread a bit of flour on the table and knead the dough thoroughly. Divide the dough into pieces and roll them out into strips, each about 2 centimetres thick. Divide the strips into 20 pieces. Shape the Lucy’s cats as you wish, use your imagination!
4. Put the Lucy’s cats on a baking plate and let them rise under a towel for at least 15 minutes. Turn on the oven and set it to 250°C.
5. Glaze the Lucy’s cats with the beaten egg or plant-based milk of choice and decorate with raisins. Bake in the centre of the oven for 5-8 minutes or until they are golden brown. Let them cool a bit before serving. Lucy’s cats are best served warm.