Daddelsnitte - A Danish Cookie with a Middle Eastern Twist

Sometimes the simplest things are the best - aren’t they?

This cookie is inspired by one of the simplest, most recognized, day-to-day pastries in Denmark: Hindbærsnitter, or Raspberry slices. The two layers of shortcrust pastry, filled with homemade raspberry jam and decorated with royal icing, are considered nostalgic grandma-style cookies. They’ve long since become the ultimate pastry to enjoy with coffee or tea, and a staple in the display cases of Denmark’s bakeries.

Whenever I stop at one of the bakeries close to my home, it is hard for me to resist the temptation. The combination of the soft shortcrust pastry and tart filling is just one of the reasons I fell in love with it. But really, its magic lies in its simplicity - you don’t need to be an expert pastry chef to get it right.

Growing up in Israel, I was familiar with a similar cookie - flower-shaped and filled with artificially bright strawberry jam - but it was no match to the real thing. It lacked the clean simplicity, the fresh raspberry filling (rare in Israel back then) and the tart glaze that completed the flavor profile.

When I began developing this recipe, it was clear to me that I wanted to give the original a twist that reflects my background, while still respecting its spirit.

The Danes love to try new and special things, but tradition is no less important to them. They might not break tradition themselves, but they certainly appreciate the thought and effort behind something new - especially if it tastes good.

So how do you keep the spirit of a recipe while still making it your own? There are endless possible answers. My answer was simple: I replaced the raspberry jam with a date spread, brightened it with lemon zest and juice - keeping the texture but adding a new kind of tartness. I also added lemon juice to the glaze, to restore some of the tartness lost without the raspberries. The result was a new, balanced cookie - inspired by its originsbut with a gentle Middle Eastern twist.

I think it works, what do you think?

Daddelsnitte - The Recipe

Makes 12-24 double-layered cookies

Ingredients

Filling

235g Dried dates (pitted), Preferably Medjoul

Lemon Zest from 1 lemon

3 tbsp Lemon juice

3 tbsp water

5g Sugar (if needed)

Dough

160g Plain white flour

200g Cake flour

125g Powdered sugar

½ tsp Salt

226 Unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Paste

Royal Icing

125g Powdered sugar

3 tbsp Lemon juice

1-3 tbsp water

Decoration

Finely chopped candied lemon/orange peels

Method

1. Remove the pits and soak the dates in a bowl of boiling water for at least two hours. Once soaked, drain the dates but reserve the soaking liquid. Transfer the dates to a mixing bowl or blender-safe container, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid, and sugar (if needed). Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth and spreadable. Set aside in an airtight container until assembly.

2. In a food processor fitted with the dough blade, combine the flours, powdered sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles sand. Add the egg and vanilla paste then process until the dough comes together into a smooth, cohesive mass. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

3. Once the dough has rested, remove from the fridge, weigh it, and divide it into two equal parts. Roll each part between two sheets of parchment paper into a 24 X 24 cm square. To help shape it, I fold one sheet to the desired size, press the dough roughly into shape by hand , then enclose it  between the folded parchment and roll it evenly with a rolling pin. Return the sheets to the fridge until ready to bake.
   

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
   

4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 170℃ (345℉) on the fan or convection setting. Once the oven reaches temperature, remove the dough from the fridge, prick it all over with a fork, and place it on a baking tray.

5. Bake the dough sheets for about 15 minutes or until golden and just starting to brown at the edges. If baking on multiple trays, switch and rotate them halfway through for even baking. Transfer the baked sheets to a flat cooling rack and let cool completely.

6. Before assembly, prepare the royal icing. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl, add the lemon juice, and stir until smooth. The glaze should be spreadable but not too runny. If needed, adjust the texture with a few drops of water or lemon juice.

   

7. Place one baked sheet of dough on a cutting board or another flat surface. Spread the date filling evenly over it, leaving 1-2 mm border at the edges. Lay the second sheet on top, aligning carefully. Spread the royal icing evenly over the top and decorate, if desired. Set aside until the glaze dries and hardens.

   

   

   

8. With a large, sharp knife, cut the finished slab into your desired shapes and sizes, then transfer to a serving platter or a cookie tin.

   
   

Tips & Tricks to Make a Difference

• Medjoul dates are the best, but other varieties will work too. You may just need to soak them longer, and possibly add a little sugar - depending on their texture and sweetness.

• You can prepare the filling a day ahead, or on the same day, making use of the soaking time to prepare and bake the dough.

• You can substitute the lemon zest and juice with an orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice. The flavor will be gentler, but dates and oranges are a delicious match.

• If you’d rather not use multiple types of flour, replace the cake flour with 175g plain white flour and 25g of cornstarch. That’s my go-to swap, and it yeilds cookies that melt in your mouth.

• You can use vanilla extract instead of vanilla paste, but the paste has a deeper flavor and those lovely vanilla specks that enhance both the taste and the appearance of the cookies.

• This dough is rich, buttery and very delicate. For the best results, let it rest and keep it chilled in the fridge whenever you're not working with it, right up until baking.

• Because the two sheets of dough are layered, it’s important that they’re the same shape and size. Using a folded sheet of parchment, as I do, helps ensure consistency and yields beautifully uniform cookies..

• Before baking, I score one of the dough sheets - the one that will go on top. This lets me mark out the cookies in advance and makes cutting easier after assembly. For 24 cookies, score three strips about 8 cm wide in one direction, then eight strips about 3 cm wide in the other. For 12 larger cookies, score three strips in one direction and four strips about 6 cm wide in the other.

• When making the royal icing, patience is key: add the liquid gradually and mix thoroughly until smooth. Don’t add too much liquid, or the icing will run and take much longer to set.

• Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days after assembly.

Bon Appétit!

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