Vinatarta Recipes

VíNARTERTA - ICELANDIC CELEBRATION CAKE

Steps:

• Heat water and prunes in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the prunes are very soft and water is evaporated, stirring occasionally- approximately 30 minutes. Once the prunes are very soft, mash them with a potato masher or blitz them through a food processor. Add lemon juice, cardamom, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon and stir well. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs one at a time.
• In a small bowl, mix together the milk, vanilla extract and almond extract.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cardamom and baking powder.
• Add a third of your dry ingredients to the creamed butter bowl and mix well. Then, add a third of the milk mixture to the butter bowl and mix well. Continue to alternate adding dry ingredients and wet ingredients to the butter bowl until everything is mixed together.
• Roll dough out on to a floured surface until roughly ¼ inch thick (or rather, thin!). Using an inverted 9 inch round springform pan OR an inverted 8 inch rectangular brownie pan, trace a square/circle with a knife. Gently place your dough square/circle on to a baking sheet (I like to roll it on to a rolling pin and then roll it off on the sheet). If you have two baking sheets, you can bake two layers at once, cutting down your cooking time. You should end up with 5-7 'cookie' layers in total, depending on the width of each layer and the size your are cutting them to.
• Bake each layer of dough for 10-12 minutes, until firm, but not browned. As they are baked, gently transfer each to a wire rack to cool completely. The baked and cooled squares/circles should have a firm, cookie-like consistency.
• Once all your dough layers are baked and fully cooked you can start to put them all together! Place one cookie layer down on a piece of wax paper. Using a spatula, gently spread a layer of the prune mixture over the cookie, getting as close to the edges as possible. Place the second cookie layer overtop and do the same. Repeat this until you have one cookie layer left and place that on top but do not cover your top layer with the prune mix.
• Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and/or tinfoil and store in a cool, dry place for at least 3 days or up to 4 weeks, until ready to serve. The longer you let it sit, the softer your cookie layers will be. I like to wait at least a week buuuut... sometimes I just can't resist and break into it early. ???? To serve, slice into slices or squares.

VINETERTA (VIENNA TORTE)

Steps:

• Cream butter well, then add sugar gradually, beating hard after each addition. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and cardamom. Add small amount to creamed mixture. Mix in cream and almond extract. Now work in as much flour as possible.
• Turn out onto pastry cloth and knead in any remaining flour. Divide dough into 5 parts and pat each part into a 9-inch greased layer pan. Bake at 375 until delicate brown.
• To assemble filling: Put prunes through food processor or mill, then add sugar, prune liquid and cinnamon. Cook until thickened, then add vanilla.
• Let cool, and then spread between layers of torte.
• Top cake with a thin layer of vanilla icing. Let the torte stand for a couple of days before serving to allow the cake to soften. Serve in small slices.

VINARTERTA ICELANDIC CAKE FROM GIMLI MB. RECIPE

Steps:

• DOUGH LAYERS Mix as if cookie dough . Chill well. Roll dough into 6 flat cookies 8-9 inches across and 1/8 inch thick ( A pie pan as a template works good.) Poke holes in it with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. FILLING Boil prunes with some water until cooked. Add sugar and cinnamon. Spread between layers. Wrap and refrigerate for 24 hrs. Ice with almond icing if desired