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I couldn’t wait to share this recipe with you, but I had to wait for Christmas to arrive before I could do it. If there’s one thing I like about winter it’s, without a doubt, Christmas. I love everything that surrounds this time of year, from gastronomy, tradition, custom or the most insignificant gesture to the simple fact of being able to share it with my family. The recipe I bring you today is an elaboration of family tradition that brings together the loved ones to carry it out, Laufabrauð or Icelandic Leaf Bread.
This is a bread made with a very simple dough, but has the particularity of being very thin. It is said that the dough must be thin enough to be able to read a newspaper through it. That is why it is called “leaf bread”. Then it is decorated with different patterns and fried, obtaining a very crunchy result.
Laufabrauð origin.
The preparation of this bread is a tradition that originated in northern Iceland and subsequently expanded throughout the territory. The first written mention dates from the first half of the 18th century (1736). It was probably older, but there are no references to it. Today, it is an essential Christmas tradition in Iceland.
Iceland, at that time, was a country in which it was very difficult to find products such as flour, sugar, salt… especially in winter. They were considered luxury products and only accessible to the richest. In addition that most of the times they arrived with mold by the lack of interest of the merchants. Until the 18th century there was no milling equipment in the country.
The Icelanders learned how to make water mills. The problem was the grain, although it was cheaper, they had to save to be able to buy it. That is why everything made from flour was intended for special occasions. Housewives tried to stretch the dough as thin as possible to create more pieces. They said that the ideal was to be able to read the Bible through the dough. Each bread was designed with great care and affection to emphasize the importance of consuming that piece of bread.
Making Icelandic leaf bread.
When it is elaborated, it is necessary to achieve a very thin dough so that the subsequent result is very crunchy. In the past it was fried in lamb fat, which gave it a very particular flavor, but today it is fried in vegetable oil. As soon as the bread is taken out of the oil, and still hot and tender, it is placed on kitchen paper and pressed with a wooden board called laufabraudshlemmur, which helps to make it look smooth. These wooden boards are usually made by children at school to give to their parents and/or grandparents. In my case what I did was to press each bread with kitchen paper and helping me with my hands.
It was also common to use a mixture of ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium carbamate or hjorthornssalt, deer antler salt. I told you about this ingredient in Tunnbröd or Polar Bread. Nowadays is common to use baking powder instead.
It is probable that you will also find it under the definition of “snowflake bread” due to the aspect that is achieved thanks to the patterns with which it is decorated. To decorate this bread is used a specific bronze tool calledlaufabrauðsjárn, greatly facilitates the process. I must admit that when I saw it I fell in love with this utensil… But it is completely impossible to find it, at least at a reasonable price.
If you want to see some patterns to make in your breads, you can do it in this link. It’s much simpler with the tool… With a blade there are some complicated designs!
This bread is cooked in advance, families usually meet on the first Sunday in December to make it, and it is preserved in tins until Christmas Day. It is usually served with hangikjöt (smoked sheep) or other traditional recipes from the dates.
