By Ashlyn
I celebrated my first Danish holiday last week! Fastelavn, celebrated the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, is the Danish version of Carnival - or Fat Tuesday, or Pancake Day, or whatever else you're used to calling the holiday before the Lenten season begins.
Danish Fastelavn is similar in some ways to Halloween in America. Children (and adults) dress up in costumes to celebrate. One of the day's events is to hit a big barrel that is tied up in a tree. The barrel is very sturdy and wooden rods are used to hit it. Inside the barrel is a huge amount of Danish candy. Children take turns whacking it until the barrel is smashed open and all the candy flies out. Toffee, caramels, gummies, and black licorice are usually among the candies inside. (Chocolate candy is not as popular here as it is in America!)
Another tradition is fastelavnsboller - pastries that are specifically eaten on this holiday. The buns are filled with cream or custard, baked, and then drizzled with a warm chocolate topping. They can be found at bakeries around the city, but the home-baked fastelavnsboller are definitely more delicious!
The history of Fastelavn isn't quite as sweet and sugary as what's celebrated today, though. The origins of the barrel-hitting game come from an event called "hit the cat out of the barrel." A live black cat was sealed into the barrel and the barrel was struck until the cat leapt out -- then the cat was chased through town and beaten to death. Gruesome, yes, but the whole ordeal was meant to ward off bad luck and evil spirits.
Another interesting tradition is the "fastelavnsris," which is a bundle of sticks given to children before the Fastelavn celebration. The children use the sticks to "flog" their parents (gently) on the morning of Fastelavn, and are then rewarded with fastelavnsboller. This tradition is said to originate from the practice of flogging children on Good Friday to remind them of Jesus' trials before death. Today fastelavnsris are sold in grocery stores and are usually strung with candy and jingle bells and other fun treats.
Want to celebrate Fastelavn at home? The following is the recipe for fastelavnsboller. These sweet treats take a bit of time to prepare, but the results are worth it!
Fastelavnsboller
For the Dough:
- 25 g yeast
- 1.25 dl whole milk
- 1 egg
- 50 g sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 175 g soft butter
- 450 g flour
- A pinch of cardamom
For the Custard:
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 2 dl whole milk
Directions:
Whip the yolks, sugar, vanilla or vanilla sugar, and corn starch in a bowl to begin the custard. Heat the milk in a saucepan until it boils and then pour the heated milk into the bowl, whipping all the while. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and allow it to boil for one to two minutes, beating continuously. Allow the custard to cool completely.
To begin the dough, warm the milk until room temperature. Dissolve the yeast into the milk. Add the egg, sugar, salt, butter, flower, and cardamom. Mix the ingredients and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is 1 centimeter thick. Slice the dough into squares 3 by 3 inches large, then put a small spoonful of cooled custard in the center of each. Fold the corners in like a dumpling and press the dough together with your fingers to seal it. Flip the buns over and place them on a lined baking sheet, giving enough room for them to expand.
Bake the buns in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, glaze with melted chocolate and then enjoy.