I’ve known for some time now that I’m a food lover. I take almost indecent delight in cooking, baking and experimenting in my kitchen, and few things make me happier than sharing the cakes, cookies or breads I make with friends. Yet the true measure of my ‘foodieness’ was revealed only this past weekend, when I returned from a week-long visit with family in San Diego, California - because while we left with three suitcases, we returned with an extra duffel bag I’d stuffed with some 20 lbs of tortillas from Mexico (flour & corn), tamales (sweet corn, pineapple, and jalapeño cheese), and jars of nopales (prickly pear cactus). Ok it was 33lbs. But can you blame me when quality tortillas, tamales and nopales are so difficult to find in Connecticut? I think not.
Seeing my family after nearly 3 years apart was such a joy, though of course the trip ended too soon. We went to Disneyland, visited relatives, and spent time enjoying good food and conversation. I taught my parents how to make my honey-vanilla challah, which they had never tasted before; my Mom and Nana how to make the baked rigatoni my Mom so infamously poured hot sauce on several years ago (she now says it definitely does not need hot sauce); and even convinced my brother to learn how to make pizza from scratch. This last bit was a feat because my brother is one of those guys who refuses to learn how to use a kitchen. My Mom is an accomplished cook, as is his girlfriend, so he figures: why bother? But for pizza he made an exception and for the record it was delicious. He got such a kick out of eating a pizza he made himself, as opposed to the frozen or delivery variety he’s always had in the past. I hear his girlfriend has already set a date for him to demonstrate his newfound culinary prowess in her kitchen, which if you ask me, is pretty darn cute.
My husband and I arrived back in Connecticut around 5am on Sunday morning and I had every intention of getting to work in the kitchen so that I could post on Monday. But then the homesickness hit, not to mention the tiredness, and a wee cold… the result being that I didn’t do anything until yesterday evening. Vetekrans, a kind of Swedish tea ring, was my recipe of choice for several reasons, not the least of which being its tempting combination of cardamom and cinnamon. I could just imagine the aromatic fragrance of these two spices, and was curious to see if cardamom (a member of the ginger family) would enhance the flavor of cinnamon in the same way that ground ginger does. I was also intrigued by the author’s method of dough preparation, which requires no kneading and asks you to refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. So I put the dough together, then popped it into the fridge before relaxing with a book and hitting the sack shortly after the New Year arrived. This morning I rolled the dough out, spread it with butter and cinnamon-sugar, then rolled it up jelly-roll style and bound the ends together before cutting into the dough with sharp scissors. The whole process took less than an hour (including resting time) and the end product was the scrumptious tea ring you see featured here. The cardamom undertones gently enhanced the cinnamon, creating something that is, in a word, decadent: like the best cinnamon buns you’ve ever had strung together in a fragrant cardamom spiced wreath, then drizzled with an almond glaze. Oh. Yea.
I initially planned to post a review of The Great Scandinavian Baking Book, from whence this Vetekrans recipe comes, in this entry. However, I’m going to wait until my next post. True, I’ve made four things from this book and could certainly formulate a review based on the results… but then I wouldn’t have an excuse to share another delectable recipe with you, would I? Yet I will reveal the winner of the the raffle in which I gave away one copy of The Great Scandinavian Baking Book: Deborah (#43) of Taste and Tell! Thank you to everyone who participated in my Holiday Cookbook Giveaway, I only wish I could have sent cookbooks to each and everyone one of you. 
Have a wonderful New Year’s day!
Vetekrans (Swedish Tea Ring)
Reprinted with permission from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas.
Ingredients: Makes 1 large ring
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water, about 105 degrees to 115 degrees F
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 slightly beaten eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I ended up using closer to 5 1/2 cups of flour)
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot coffee or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For the Glaze:
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, the eggs, salt, cardamom, and 4 cups flour until dough is smooth (it took about 5 1/2 cups of flour for my dough to achieve a smooth, soft texture). Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. (I refrigerated mine for about 12 hours. When you take it out of the fridge the dough will be very firm and may break apart as you remove it from the bowl. This is normal, just remove all the pieces then gently press them back together. Allow the dough to rest on your counter top for about 20-30 minutes before proceeding.)
Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and roll out to make a 20×20 to 24×24 inch square. Spread with a thin layer of softened butter right to the edge. Mix 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter. Sprinkle the almonds over the cinnamon sugar. Roll up as for a jelly roll. (Beginning with the bottom edge closest to you, gently roll the dough away from you, pinching the ends together to prevent cinnamon sugar from spilling out.)
Grease a baking sheet and place the roll on the sheet, shaping it into a ring. Pinch ends together to close the circle. With scissors, cut almost through the ring at 1/2 inch intervals. Turn each piece so that the cut side is exposed. Let rise until almost doubled (about 1 hour in a warm location).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until just golden. (I baked mine for 15 minutes, then rotated it in the oven and baked it for another 5 minutes). While the ring bakes, mix the glaze ingredients. Brush the ring while hot with the glaze.
Bookmark, Share or Email this Post
| Print This Post
This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 by Ariela and is filed under Breads, Cultural, Scandinavian, Yeasted Breads. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
60 Comments.
1. RuthL | January 1st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
What a wonderful way to start out the New Year!
2. Mandy | January 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Happy New Year, Ari. Your vetekrans is beautiful!
3. Susan G | January 1st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Yeast can be a very manly thing, especially with pizza the outcome! I have 3 sons who are all accomplished adult cooks, daughter who is catching up. Ari, thanks for 2007, happy to ‘meet’ your family, best of health and happiness to you all.
4. Chad Gramling | January 1st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
This looks like an absolutely wonderful recipe. I will probably be making it very soon - so congratz! It will be the first recipe I ever tried from a blog. My mouth is watering just looking at the pics.
5. Lydia | January 1st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Happy New Year, Ari, and thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. Love the photo of three generations of women in your family, and how nice that you had the opportunity to all cook together. May 2008 bring you together in the kitchen more often!
6. Jane | January 1st, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Happy New Year! We’ve just had a thai feast - this does look delicious!
xx
7. Claire | January 1st, 2008 at 6:06 pm
This looks great! I’m tagging it to try for Sunday School one week. Yum! I can’t imagine being apart from my family for 3 years…3 months is a long time for me!
What a precious time you had. Good for you for teaching/making your brother how to make pizza…he’ll really appreciate it one day. As to the tortillas…do they freeze well or something? 
8. Ariela | January 1st, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Lol Claire - Yes, the tortillas and tamales freeze well!
9. JEP | January 1st, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Amazing drool-worthy photo:) Happy New Year & I look forward to your next post!
10. kourtney | January 1st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Happy New Year to you!!! Im definetly putting this on my list of things to bake! Looks delicious!
11. Ann | January 1st, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Happy New Year, Ari!
12. Deborah | January 1st, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I’m so excited to start the new year with a new cookbook!! And from the looks of it, it’s going to be a good one!
13. Angela | January 1st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Happy New Year to you, Ari!
Your Vetekrans, looks fantastic–I’ve only made it once but I remember it fondly. Coincidentally we used the same recipe; I love The Great Scandinavian Baking Book!
14. Kat | January 1st, 2008 at 6:56 pm
this looks amazing! happy new year!
15. brilynn | January 1st, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I’m been using cardamom a lot more recently, I really like it. This sounds like a fabulous use for it, the photos are mouthwatering!
16. Jendeis | January 1st, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Looks delicious! Happy New Year!!
17. jen | January 1st, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Sounds like us coming back from Chicago with bags full of goodies! LOL I’ll have to try the Swedish Tea Ring…it looks divine. I’m always on the lookout for Scandinavian/Danish recipes for my husband. I have a few, but the guy wants more! LOL
18. Rosa | January 1st, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Happy New Year, Ari! Your Vetekrans looks amazing! The gorgeous kind of brioched bread I love!
Cheers,
Rosa
19. Jerry | January 1st, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Happy new year!
Family visits are the best, and they never do last long enough. The Vetekrans looks amazing! if it tastes half as good, it’s probably against some law somewhere… But who really cares?
20. peabody | January 1st, 2008 at 9:17 pm
That is a gorgeous breakfast bread!
Here’s to a happy and stress free 2008!
21. thatfarmgirl | January 1st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Happy New Year, Ari! Reading your blog always brings a smile to my face. Thanks for being such a wonderful human being.
22. avital | January 1st, 2008 at 11:23 pm
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
23. caitlyn | January 2nd, 2008 at 12:08 am
Happy New Year, Ari! I love the photos of your family. It’s great that you had such an awesome trip! Tamales…yum!
24. beastmomma | January 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
I am glad that you made it home for break. Get rest and be well. Best wishes for the new year!
25. Muffin | January 2nd, 2008 at 4:15 am
OMG! That looks delicious! I’ll totally have to try it out myself, thank you for the wonderful recipe!
26. Dreamer | January 2nd, 2008 at 4:55 am
Oh wow! Looks absolutely beautiful! You’ve inspired me to get back to my baking…I used to love it until work sucked the energy out of me. Am about to trawl your blog for muffin recipies which I’ve never been able to get to work out!
Happy New Year to you and yours. Hope 2008 is a good one for you.
27. Dreamer | January 2nd, 2008 at 4:58 am
Oh and in Asian cooking we use both green and black cardamoms to flavour food…green is generally for sweet things and black for savoury (although there is some overlap). I’m assuming this recipe uses ground green cardamoms?
28. Asha | January 2nd, 2008 at 8:53 am
A very happy new year Ari, have a wonderful year ahead!:))
29. veron | January 2nd, 2008 at 9:01 am
To have that with coffee…must be heaven!
30. Ivonne | January 2nd, 2008 at 11:03 am
Ari,
I have that book and as usual I have yet to try anything from it. You’ve inspired me. Your tea ring is gorgeous!
All the best in 2008!
31. avital | January 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
I don’t know yet which of Beatrice Ojakangas’ recipes you tasted but if you haven’t already, try her unusual danish pastry, it’s absolutely wonderful. I made it more than 2 years ago, on a very hot summerday and it went perfectly well. And there’s also her Pulla with the wonderful and tasty hint of cardamon!!
32. Joan | January 2nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Oh. Wow. That looks a-MAZ-ing. Gonna have to try this one. Happy New Year!
33. Julie O'Hara | January 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Everyone should make homemade pizza! It’s wonderful that you got to spend the holidays with your family. Happy new year, and all the best for 2008!
Julie
34. jL | January 2nd, 2008 at 6:07 pm
My stomach was growling the entire time I read (and reread, and drooled) over your vetekrans. It looks amazing!
Happy new year and all the best for 2008!
Jacqueline ^_^
35. Nan | January 2nd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Beautiful sweet ring! Glad to hear you enjoyed time with your family. Have a happy new year!
36. lily | January 2nd, 2008 at 7:58 pm
happy new year gorgeous!!
37. Traca | January 2nd, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Cheers! To a deliciously wonderful 2008….
38. Madam Chow | January 3rd, 2008 at 10:32 am
I LOVE her books. The only downside to them is that they have NO photographs! What was the publisher thinking?
39. Amy | January 3rd, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Yumm! That looks delicious! Happy New Year!
40. Cynthia | January 3rd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Ari this was such a beautiful post and thanks for showing us your good-looking family
Happy new year to all of you!
41. Dana | January 4th, 2008 at 10:20 am
This reminds me of a Finnish “pulla” I once made. It was so delicious — and this looks heavenly!!
42. Rachael | January 4th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Happy New Year Ari! That looks AMAZING!!! I’m not much of a baker…but that makes me want to try!
43. jeena | January 5th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Hi there you have a lovely blog. This recipe is amazing it looks so very delicious.
44. Janice | January 6th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Happy New Year, Ari! I loved seeing your family — thanks for sharing. The recipe looks so yummy, like you should just be able to reach your hand to the screen and pinch off a piece!
45. Marni | January 6th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
everything i’ve ever made from beatrice ojakangas has been fabulous. i’m sure this will be too!!!!
46. Bradley @ Sauces and Stuff | January 7th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Happy New Year to you as well. As always, the food looks fantastic!
47. Tartelette | January 8th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Happy New Year! That book sounds great! The danish ring is just to fall on the floor for! Your holiday sounds wonderful!
48. joey | January 8th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Happy New Year and best wishes for 2008!
Nice to see you had a wonderful holidays with loved ones…and a equally wonderful pastry at home!
49. christianne | January 8th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
What a sweet story! Happy New Year to you and yours.
50. Rivka | January 9th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Yum! I’m newly obsessed with the sweet loaves that you slice, rise, and then bake — I recently made an apricot couronne much like this. And is it just me? I feel like we’ve met before….anyway, happy to have discovered your blog!
51. Sorina | January 9th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
What a great recipe blog everything so looks delicious…
52. Scott at Realepicurean | January 9th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
And a happy new year to you, too Ari. Such sweet photos (in both senses of the word!)
53. Jan | January 10th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Hi Ari, your photos are beautiful and your blogs so well written. Can you tell me if you took food writing/styling courses or if it’s just a natural gift? I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your blog.
54. Rachel | January 10th, 2008 at 9:07 am
I bought the Great Scandinavian Baking Book off Amazon because of your recommendation. It arrived in the mail the other day and I love it!! My grandmother is Norwegian (born and raised there), so I am especially looking forward to trying some of the recipes. I’m sure she’ll let me know how I did
55. Isabella | January 10th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Hi, I come across to your site looking for the recipe of vekterans….following you advice I ordered The great scandinavian book of baking … my blog is either in italian than in english and I linked so I can follow you
56. Ariela | January 10th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Thank you for all the amazing comments everyone, wow! ThatFarmGirl & Jan, you two especially brought a smile to my face, thank you for leaving such sweet comments.
Jan, to answer your question, I have not taken any writing or styling classes. I think it’s just a case of trial and error - if you look back at my earliest posts you’ll notice a vast difference in the kinds of photos I took, and also a difference in the way I wrote. Little by little things have changed. I’m going to continue playing around in the kitchen and can only hope that my posts continue to improve as a result!
I’m so glad you enjoy my blog, I know I enjoy sharing what I make with you.
57. Tarie | January 11th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Happy New Year, Ari.
You look so cute in the picture!
58. M.J. | January 11th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Do you have a recipe for those yummy sounding tamales? I’m a vegetarian too and I so miss tamales, those ones you mentioned sound so yummy!!!
59. Anali | January 14th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Happy New Year Ari! Those desserts look so good! Today was supposed to be my day to cook and bake, but unfortunately I have a cold that is getting the best of me, so not much will be happening in my kitchen. Love the pictures of you and your family too! : )
60. mallow | January 15th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I love cardamom, but had never tried it in baking. I went to the store to buy some the other day and just about had a heart attack when I saw the price. Thanks for the explanation!