If you are one of those following me on Instagram, you might have seen already that I have been in Copenhagen on vacation – unfortunately only for a short time, but I brought some souvenirs – new ideas for recipes ;)
Not long ago I already posted a recipe for delicious Danish Rhubarb Horns and promised to make a little “Copenhagen Tribute” – well – it is happening now ;) The next several days you will find some delicious stuff from Denmark. Let’s start the special with these delicious hazelnut cakes with strawberry cream topping. I found them in a bakery named “Lagkagehuset” and instantly fell in love with them ;) They are called “Christianshavnertærte” and come in two sizes – small like these here and a bit bigger to satisfy more than one person. Try one and you’re hooked for eternity :P
The Danes are masters when it comes to sweet stuff. There is a good reason why there is a whole section of baked goods that is named after this country: Danish pastry ;)) Unfortunately I can’t tell you much about these little cakes – I only know the name is coming from a neighborhood in Copenhagen called Christianshavn ;)
This neighborhood is located on an artificial island next to the “old town” – sounds a bit weird to write that, cause Christianshavn was constructed in the 17th century by king Christian IV. and is pretty old too I would say :P He built it to extend the already existing city and harbour. The area has many canals and is home to the free city of Christiania – if you ever visit Copenhagen, you should go there :)
Back to the cakes – those little fellas are easy to prepare hazelnut cakes made with roasted hazelnuts and shortbread cookies. Quick and easy made and baked. The topping is basically just whipped cream “enhanced” with pureed strawberries and some gelatin (or agar-agar) to make sure it is not running away when waiting outside the fridge to be eaten ;) I could not find an official recipe for those cakes, so I had to experiment a bit – and I think the result is quite good :)) If you prefer other fruits (raspberries, melon etc.) – use them – should not be a problem as long as you can puree them. Just stay away from pineapple and other fruits that do not go well with gelatin…
The serving plate you can see on the pictures is something really amazing btw. – the plate and cake knife are both from a design company called Magisso*. The amazing thing about their ceramics – they are self-cooling! You wet them and because of the special ceramics they stey cool for a long time. Perfect for those little cakes that should stay cool when served :) If you are interested in those plates and stuff, have a look here: Springlane*- they are selling many things from Magisso :)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the topping:
(120g) strawberries, pureed
2 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1,5 leaves of gelatin
7 oz. (200g) heavy cream
For the dough:
2.8 oz. (80g) hazelnuts, whole
1 oz. (30g) shortbread cookies
1 tsp. baking powder
2.7 oz. (75g) sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
2 egg whites
For the decoration:
berries (e.g. blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
white chocolate, grated
Für das Topping:
120g Erdbeeren, püriert
2 EL Puderzucker
1/2 TL Vanillepaste
1,5 Blatt Gelatine
200g Schlagsahne
Für den Teig:
80g Haselnusskerne
30g Butterkekse
1 TL Backpulver
75g Zucker
Prise Salz
1 TL Vanillepaste
2 Eiweiß
Für die Dekoration:
Beeren (z.B. Blaubeeren, Himbeeren, Erdbeeren)
weiße Schokolade, geraspelt
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Add the heavy cream to a tall bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Take 1-2 tablespoons and mix in the cooled strawberry mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until well combined and then fill into a piping bag – place in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours so the cream can set.
3. While the cream is cooling, preheat the oven to 375˚F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and place the hazelnuts on top. Toast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes – take out and fill into a sieve. Rub the hazelnuts in that sieve to get rid of the skins (you might want to do that with a paper towel, cause the hazelnuts are very hot) – you can also rub the hazelnuts between two kitchen towels. Let the “naked” hazelnuts cool down a bit and then chop them (works best with a mixer) – don’t make powder, there should still be some bigger pieces left.
4. Grease a muffin tin or use paper liners. Reduce the heat of the oven to 350° (175°C). Crush the cookies and mix with the chopped hazelnuts in a bowl. Add baking powder, sugar and salt and mix. Add the vanilla bean paste and egg whites and mix until the sugar in the mixture has dissolved. Fill 6 molds/paper liners with the batter and bake in the middle of the oven for about 20-24 minutes. The cakes should have a nice golden brown color and the center should be set. Take out of the oven and let cool down a bit, then remove from the tin (if you did not use paper liners, you have to loosen the cakes with a knife from the tin). Let cool down completely on a wire rack.
5. When the cakes are cooled and the cream is set, pipe a good amound on each cake and decorate with berries and grated chocolate. Store in the fridge until served.
2. Die Sahne in einem hohen Gefäß aufschlagen, bis sie steif ist. 1-2 Eßlöffel der Sahne mit der abgekühlten Erdbeermasse verrühren, dann den Rest der Sahne unterheben. Die Masse jetzt in einen Spritzbeutel füllen und für 1-2 Stunden in den Kühlschrank legen.
3. Während die Creme kühlt und fest wird, den Ofen auf 190°C (375°F) vorheizen. Die Haselnüsse auf ein Backblech mit Backpapier legen und für ca. 8-10 Minuten im Ofen anrösten. Die Haselnüsse herausnehmen, in ein großes Metallsieb schütten und mit einem Papiertuch (als Schutz für die Finger) im Sieb reiben, damit sich die Häute der Nüsse lösen (man kann die Nüsse auch zwischen zwei Küchentüchern reiben). Nüsse abkühlen lassen und dann hacken (geht am schnellsten mit einem Mixer) – nicht zu fein, es dürfen noch ein paar größere Stückchen dabei sein.
4. Ein Muffinblech gut einfetten oder mit Papierförmchen bestücken. Die Temperatur des Ofens auf 175°C (350°F) reduzieren. Die Kekse zerbröseln und mit den Nüssen in eine Schüssel geben. Backpulver, Zucker und Salz zugeben und vermischen. Vanillepaste und Eiweiß zugeben und alles gut verrühren – der Zucker sollte sich aufgelöst haben. Die Masse auf auf 6 Mulden/Förmchen verteilen und in der Mitte des Ofens für etwa 20-24 Minuten backen – die Küchlein sollten gut Farbe bekommen haben und die Mitte des Küchleins sollte bei Druck nur noch leicht nachgeben. Aus dem Ofen nehmen und etwas abkühlen lassen, dann aus der Form herauslösen (wer keine Papierförmchen benutzt hat, muss die Küchlein vorsichtig mit einem Messer vom Rand und Boden lösen). Auf einem Kuchengitter komplett abkühlen lassen.
5. Wenn die Küchlein abgekühlt und die Creme fest genug ist, auf jedes Küchlein eine gute Portion der Erdbeercreme aufspritzen und mit Beeren und geraspelter Schokolade verzieren. Bis zum Servieren im Kühlschrank aufbewahren.
Craving more? Keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for new post updates and more. You can also contact me with any questions or inquiries!
Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Christianshavnertærte aka. Danish Hazelnut Cakes
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 150
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
For the topping
- (120g) strawberries, pureed
- 2 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
- 1,5 leaves of gelatin (or agar-agar)
- 7 oz. (200g) heavy cream
For the dough
- 2.8 oz. (80g) hazelnuts, whole
- 1 oz. (30g) shortbread cookies
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2.7 oz. (75g) sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
- 2 egg whites
For the decoration
- berries (e.g. blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
- white chocolate, grated
Instructions
- Start with the strawberry cream. Add the gelatin leaves to a small bowl with cold water and let soak for about 5-7 minutes. Add the strawberries to a small saucepan and puree. Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla bean paste and mix. Place the saucepan on the stove and heat up (the mixture should get hot but not boil). Squeeze the gelatin to get rid of excess water and add to the saucepan – mix until dissolved completely. Remove from the heat and let cool down a bit.
- Add the heavy cream to a tall bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Take 1-2 tablespoons and mix in the cooled strawberry mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until well combined and then fill into a piping bag – place in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours so the cream can set.
- While the cream is cooling, preheat the oven to 375˚F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and place the hazelnuts on top. Toast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes – take out and fill into a sieve. Rub the hazelnuts in that sieve to get rid of the skins (you might want to do that with a paper towel, cause the hazelnuts are very hot) – you can also rub the hazelnuts between two kitchen towels. Let the “naked” hazelnuts cool down a bit and then chop them (works best with a mixer) – don’t make powder, there should still be some bigger pieces left.
- Grease a muffin tin or use paper liners. Reduce the heat of the oven to 350° (175°C). Crush the cookies and mix with the chopped hazelnuts in a bowl. Add baking powder, sugar and salt and mix. Add the vanilla bean paste and egg whites and mix until the sugar in the mixture has dissolved. Fill 6 molds/paper liners with the batter and bake in the middle of the oven for about 20-24 minutes. The cakes should have a nice golden brown color and the center should be set. Take out of the oven and let cool down a bit, then remove from the tin (if you did not use paper liners, you have to loosen the cakes with a knife from the tin). Let cool down completely on a wire rack.
- When the cakes are cooled and the cream is set, pipe a good amound on each cake and decorate with berries and grated chocolate. Store in the fridge until served.
Notes
- Enjoy baking!
*Magisso was so nice giving me the ceramics you can see on the picture. That is why I have to declare this here in Germany as Advertising. All I wrote in this article is still based on my own opinion and has not been affected by anybody :)
I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
Ils sont magnifiques tes Christianhavn taert ! J’ai découvert ce dessert aussi à Copenhague dans la même boulangerie et j’ai adoré ! Le moelleux du gâteau avec le croquant des noisettes et cette mousse de fraises aérienne, quel délice ! Merci pour la recette, je vais essayer de la refaire pour me régaler.
I want to make this recipe as I love these cakes! Please can you give me more information about the ‘shortbread cookies’ used? Are they like digestive biscuits, rich tea biscuits or a plain/simple biscuit of just butter, flour, sugar? Thank you.
They are regular shortbread cookies. In Germany, we would say Butterkekse aka. butter cookies.
All plain cookies should work here I guess.
Cheers
Marc