Why are the cookies called 'vrøvl'?

'Vrøvl' (nonsense) was a playful period term for simple, shapeless cookies you could throw together in a hurry.

Can I substitute the lard?

Lard (pork fat) gives the original flavour and crispness, but can be replaced with soft butter or plant margarine if desired.

Vrøvl (Norwegian lard cookies)

Name: Vrøvl (Norwegian lard cookies)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 40 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 250 g lard (melted); 350 g sugar; 2.5 dl whole milk (originally 'newly strained milk'); 1.5 tsp cream of tartar; 1 tsp baking soda; 0.25 tsp cinnamon; 0.5 tsp cardamom; 500 g wheat flour

Vrøvl from Erken & Steen (1900): melted lard stirred with sugar, milk, cinnamon, cardamom and wheat flour with added baking soda and cream of tartar. Dropped as small nuts onto a sheet and baked golden brown. Spiced lard cookies, chemically leavened.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken & Caroline Steen, Kogebog for skole og hjem, 1900-utg. s. 270 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

«Vrøvl» er små, krydrede smultkaker fra Erken & Steens «Kogebog for skole og hjem» (1900). Navnet er tidens humoristiske betegnelse på enkle, uformelige småkaker. Hevet med natron og vinstein.

How to make it

1
Melt the lard
Melt the lard and let it cool a little.
2
Stir in the rest
Stir in sugar, milk and spices. Mix the baking soda and cream of tartar into the flour and stir the flour in to a firm batter.
3
Place on the sheet
Drop the dough as small nuts onto a greased baking sheet with good spacing.
4
Bake
Bake golden brown in a hot oven (approx. 200 °C (390 °F)), about 8–10 minutes.

Changes from the original

Priser fjernet. «smult» beholdt (svinefett). «nysilet melk» → helmelk. «kremortartari» → vinstein. theske → ts. Kanel og kardemomme sto klammet sammen i prislisten – her oppført hver for seg. Steketemperatur lagt til.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1900 Modernised

To1900 Modernised

Modernised → 1900 (proofread, p. 270)~95% of the text changedremovedadded

Vrøvl. 250 g gr. smult ~~(smeltes).~~ . . . . . . . . kr. 0.30 350 g sukker. 2,5 dl helmelk (originalt «nysilet melk»). 1,5 ts vinstein (kremortartari). 1 ts natron. 0,25 ts kanel. 0,5 ts kardemomme. 500 g hvetemel. Smelt smultet og la det kjøle litt.. Rør inn sukker, » sukker . . . . . . . . » 0.17½ 2½ dcl. nysilet melk ~~og krydder. Bland~~ . . . . . » 0.04½ 1½ theske kremortartari . . . . » 0.03 1 — natron ~~og vinstein i melet~~ . . . . . . . . » 0.00½ ¼ — kanel } . . . . . » 0.02 ½ — kardemomme } ½ kg. hvedemel . . . . . . . » 0.20 kr. 0.77½ Smultet smeltes, irøres sukkeret, melken, krydderierne, melet, hvori natron og ~~rør melet inn til en fast røre.. Sett deigen~~ kremortartari er udrørt, sættes som ~~små nøtter på et~~ nødder paa smurt ~~stekebrett med god avstand.. Stek gyllenbrune~~ plade og steges gulbrune i varm ~~ovn (ca. 200 °C), ca. 8–10 minutter.~~ ovn.

Note on Modernised

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Frequently asked questions

Why are the cookies called 'vrøvl'?: 'Vrøvl' (nonsense) was a playful period term for simple, shapeless cookies you could throw together in a hurry.
Can I substitute the lard?: Lard (pork fat) gives the original flavour and crispness, but can be replaced with soft butter or plant margarine if desired.

Equipment for this dish

Stand mixer →Erken kneaded and whisked by hand for ages – a stand mixer does the work for you.Engrospris.no

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