Icelandic Donuts (Kleina)
Icelandic kleina are deep-fried pasty treats (or donuts), found throughout Iceland. While every Scandinavian country has their version, Iceland's are served year-round, making them an important part of Icelandic cuisine.
Servings: 12 Large Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup White Flour
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Cardamom ground
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg or a few gratings fresh
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Butter softened
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream or Yogurt
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients together, including the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and nutmeg.
- Add butter and blend until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Beat the remaining wet ingredients together until combined, and then add the wet ingredients to dry. Blend together until fully incorporated into a sticky dough.
- Place the dough on a well-floured surface, sprinkle flour over the top and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick (they puff a lot during cooking).
- Slice the dough into 2'' wide strips. Then slice each strip diagonally every 4 inches to make diamonds. Slice a slit in the middle of each diamond.
- Prepare the kleina by tucking one tip of the diamond through the center slit and pulling through to create a curl in the dough.
- Deep fry kleinur in hot oil for about 1-2 minutes each side. Watch them closely, they cook very fast.
- When golden brown on both sides, remove the fried pastries to a paper-lined tray to drain.
- Serve kleina warm, either plain or dusted with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.
Nutrition
Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 214IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg