What is baker's ammonia, and can I replace it?

Baker's ammonia (hartshorn salt) is an old leavening agent that gives crisp cookies. The recipe uses 1 teaspoon. It is still available in stores; baking powder gives a slightly different, less crisp result.

How are the cookies shaped and garnished?

The dough is set out in small, round balls on a greased sheet and pressed down a little. Then they are brushed with the second, lightly beaten egg and sprinkled with sugar and blanched, chopped almonds (50 g).

How many cookies does the recipe make, and how long does it take?

The recipe with 1/2 kg wheat flour, 200 g sugar, and 375 g butter yields about 40 cookies, with a total time of around 50 minutes.

Where does the recipe come from?

It is taken from Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (Great Cookbook) of 1914, page 570.

Serina Cookies

Name: Serina Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 40 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 500 g wheat flour; 200 g granulated sugar; 375 g butter (at room temperature); 2 pcs egg (1 in the dough, 1 for brushing); 1 pcs grated lemon zest; 50 g almonds (blanched and chopped); 1 tsp baker's ammonia (can be replaced with 1 tsp baking powder); 1 tsp vanilla sugar; sugar for sprinkling

Classic serina cookies (serinakaker, a traditional Norwegian Christmas cookie) from Erken's Stor kokebok 1914: a shortcrust dough of 500 g flour, 200 g sugar, 375 g butter, egg, lemon zest, vanilla sugar, and baker's ammonia, shaped into balls, brushed with egg and sprinkled with sugar and chopped almonds, baked pale golden.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 570 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Serina cookies are one of the classic Norwegian Christmas cookies, and Erken gives here a simple shortcrust dough with baker's ammonia as the leavening agent. The recipe appears in the baking chapter of "Stor kokebok" (1914) among the small cookies for tea and coffee.

How to make it

1
Mix the dry ingredients
Mix the wheat flour, sugar, baker's ammonia, vanilla sugar, and grated lemon zest together well in a mixing bowl.
2
Knead the dough
Work in 1 egg and the butter into a smooth, pliable dough.
3
Shape the cookies
Roll the dough into small, round balls, place them on a greased baking sheet, and press them down a little.
4
Brush and garnish
Brush the cookies with the second, lightly beaten egg and sprinkle over sugar and blanched, chopped almonds.
5
Bake
Bake in a not-too-hot oven, about 175 °C (345 °F), for 10–12 minutes until the cookies are pale golden. Cool on a rack.

Changes from the original

The ingredient list has been separated out from the two-column OCR text and put into modern units (½ kg = 500 g, teaspoon = tsp). Baker's ammonia can be swapped for 1 tsp baking powder. Quantities and method are otherwise unchanged; baking temperature (about 175 °C (345 °F)) has been added as a guideline.

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Tidsmaskin – hva endret seg?

Velg to utgaver og se hva Henriette Schønberg Erken la til, fjernet eller endret mellom dem.

Fra1914 1949 Modernisert

Til1914 1949 Modernisert

1914 (korrekturlest, s. 570) → 1949 (korrekturlest, s. 669)~73% av teksten endretfjernetlagt til

1/2 kg. hvetemel 200 gr. farin 375 gr. smør 2 egg ~~1 revet citronskal~~ 50 gr. mandler 1 ~~teske hjortetaksalt~~ teskje hjortetakksalt 1 ~~teske~~ — vaniljesukker. Melet, sukkeret, hjortetaksaltet og vaniljen blandes sammen; heri eltes 1 egg og smørret. Sættes som smaa, runde kuler paa smurt plate, klappes litt ned, pensles med det andet, litt vispede egg, bestrøes med sukker og skoldede, hakkede mandler.

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Frequently asked questions

What is baker's ammonia, and can I replace it?: Baker's ammonia (hartshorn salt) is an old leavening agent that gives crisp cookies. The recipe uses 1 teaspoon. It is still available in stores; baking powder gives a slightly different, less crisp result.
How are the cookies shaped and garnished?: The dough is set out in small, round balls on a greased sheet and pressed down a little. Then they are brushed with the second, lightly beaten egg and sprinkled with sugar and blanched, chopped almonds (50 g).
How many cookies does the recipe make, and how long does it take?: The recipe with 1/2 kg wheat flour, 200 g sugar, and 375 g butter yields about 40 cookies, with a total time of around 50 minutes.
Where does the recipe come from?: It is taken from Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (Great Cookbook) of 1914, page 570.

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