It is that time of year again, where the sun never sets and we are well into our busiest season. At Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons every season is wedding season, but many couples prefer the endless summer nights to the dark winters. But not to worry, if you want to get married with everything covered in snow and bless your marriage under the lights of that Aurora, that is okay too. This month’s blog is dedicated to Iceland’s traditional desserts. In this blog you can get an idea of what kind of desserts suit you for your special Iceland wedding/elopement day.
The Kransakaka or Kransekake originally originated from Denmark in the 18th century, where it was first baked in Copenhagen. The Kransakaka has been a big part of Iceland´s traditional desserts. The Kransakaka is a sweet, almond(y) piece of heaven, often said to taste like marzipan (which insistently is made of almonds and similar ingredients). The cake is made of many layers, stacked to resemble an inversed cone (think pyramid of rings). It is an old tradition for the bride and groom to be the first to break into the cake. It is said that the number of layers that stick to the top one when they lift it is how many children they will have together. Others leave it to the guests to decide how many children they will have depending on how many layers are eaten or broken off by the end of the party. If you wish to stick with tradition, your guests are welcome to say a speech only if they break a layer of the cake first. Another tradition is for each couple at your Iceland Wedding to break a layer together and make a wish. A kransakaka can be accommodate the size of your party, for as few as a couple eloping to a big extravagant wedding. Imagine having your own beautiful kransakaka at your Iceland Wedding! A kransakaka for every need one might say. The kransakaka can also be found in christenings, baptisims and big birthdays.
The Icelandic Kleina or as some people call it “The Icelandic Doughnut” is also one of Iceland’s numerous traditional desserts. Along with the Icelandic Ástarpúngar which literally translates to “love balls”. What do the Kleina and the Ástarpungar have in common? Both or them belong to the pastry family and they are both deep fried. The Icelandic Ástarpungar are commonly round in shape and they also include raisins. The Icelandic Kleina can also be found covered in chocolate. Do you really want to indulge your taste buds? Try the Icelandic Kleina topped with Icelandic Smoked Salmon. We promise you will not regret it!
Another common traditional Icelandic dessert is the Icelandic pancake. This thin crape like pancake is delicious and can be combined in many different ways. Our personal favorite is drizzled with sugar and wrapped like a tortilla. Another delicious option is to add a jam of your choice, freshly whipped cream and then folded into a triangle. What is your favorite dessert topping? We highly recommend trying the traditional Icelandic pancake with Nutella and freshly whipped cream. You will not be disappointed. If you happen to fall in love with the traditional Icelandic pancake, do not worry a special pan can be bought in one of Iceland’s two shopping malls.
When visiting Iceland, it is almost mandatory to try the Icelandic Ice cream. An ice cream shop can almost be found on every corner. A few of our favorites to look out for are the following: Ísbúð Huppu, Valdís, or if you are in the north Brynjuís located in Akureyri.
Seeing as we are a wedding/elopement company it wouldn´t be right if the Hjónabandssæla did not make the list. Hjónabandssæla translates to marriage bliss. This delicious cake is made of buttery oat crust with a mouthwatering rhubarb jam filling. The perfect slice topped with fresh Icelandic whipped cream goes perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
We hope our blog has given you an insight on Iceland´s traditional dessert. Do you want to have any of these delicious Icelandic traditional desserts at your Iceland wedding or elopement Contact us and we can connect you to our amazing vendors.
