Kiksekage

I knew nothing of the Danish dessert Kiksekage until one momentous spring evening earlier this year.  It was girls' night at my house and my Danish friend Susanne arrived with a bread tin containing her famous Kiksekage (pronounced keeks-a-kay).  During dinner there was some chatter along the lines of "Just wait until you try the KIKSEKAGE!" Well, trying is not exactly accurate in my case.  I consumed countless slices of crunchy vanilla cookies enveloped in rich, velvety chocolate. Kiksekage is beyond heavenly.

With a little arm twisting, I managed to get Susanne to share her secret recipe.  I was surprised to see so few required ingredients.  But there was one that stood out.  And not in a good way, unfortunately.  Palmin. Anybody besides Danes or Germans who's heard of it?  For you Americans, think Crisco.  Part of me says Who cares if the stuff has 45.3g of saturated fat per 100g?  After all, it's one dessert.  But then I think about how, in the list of different fats, palm oil is a close third behind saturated fat master butter (54g/100g) and chart topper coconut oil (85.2g/100g).  Compare that to olive oil, which has only 14g/100g.

And by now, we all know how horrible saturated fat and trans fats are to our bodies.

But screw it.  If I am going to eat Kiksekage, I want it the way God intended (just like Danish women made it a century ago), saturated fat and all.  I try to be mindful of what's going into my body, so on this rare occasion (I can see making it once a year or perhaps biennially), I will throw caution to the wind and enjoy.  Each and every saturated, long-chain-trans-fatty-acid-bite.  Well, you get the picture.

Notes:  I added 1/2t vanilla extract and the juice of one whole orange.

Susanne's Kiksekage

3 pasteurized eggs
125g/ 3/4c cocoa powder
200g/ 1.5c powdered sugar
250g/ 1c Palmin (Crisco or other shortening)
225g/ 30 vanilla cookies/biscuits
1/2t vanilla extract (optional)
1 orange (juice from half or whole orange)

9x5" bread pan

1.  With a hand mixer, combine the eggs, cocoa powder, and sugar, mix 2-3 minutes.

2.  Melt the shortening over low heat; once melted, set aside to cool.

3.  Once the shortening is cool, slowly incorporate it into the cocoa mixture.  Beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl.  The mix will be fluffy and light.  Add orange juice and vanilla and mix well once more to thoroughly combine.

4.  Line the pan with pieces of parchment paper for easy removal.

5.  Place a big spoon of chocolate mix and spread it on the bottom of the pan, corner to corner.

6.  Place 6 biscuits on top of chocolate (see photo).

7.  Spread more chocolate and another layer of biscuits.  You want a total of five (5) layers of biscuits.  Once you have the top layer of biscuits, cover with remaining chocolate mix.

8.  Refrigerate overnight.  Cut in slices and serve.