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Tilslørte Bondepiker - Norwegian Layered Apple Dessert

Tilslørte Bondepiker, or Norwegian Layered Apple Dessert, can be literally translated as 'veiled peasant girls'. It is a delightfully simple dish comprising of sweet, lemony apple compote, silky, whipped cream and crispy, caramelised, cinnamon breadcrumbs.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Norwegian
Keyword apple compote, crispy breadcrumbs, fresh cream
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Apple compote –

  • 400g peeled, cored and diced, tart cooking apples. I use Bramley apples (400g is prepared weight)
  • 150ml water
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour (optional)

For the crispy, caramelised breadcrumbs –

  • 45g unsalted butter
  • 45g caster sugar
  • 40g breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • large pinch of fine salt

To assemble the dessert, you will need –

  • 400ml fresh double/heavy cream
  • 400g apple compote
  • the crispy, caramelised breadcrumbs
  • leaves of fresh mint

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. First, make the apple compote – peel, core and chop the apples and place in a saucepan with the water, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and cinnamon.

  3. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the apples are soft and the consistency you are looking for. The apple compote in Tilslørte Bondepiker can be very smooth and puréed or have chunks of apple. This is purely your own personal choice.

  4. If the mixture is very liquidy, mix the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water and gradually add to the apples, stirring, whilst on the heat, until you achieve the consistency you are looking for. Depending on how thick your compote is, you may not need to add any cornflour. I prefer my compote without cornflour, if possible.

  5. The sweet and sour balance is important. Taste, and if it is not sweet enough, add sugar; if it is not tart enough, add more lemon juice.

  6. Set aside to cool completely before you assemble the dessert. When cool, remove the cinnamon stick.

  7. Whilst the apples are cooking, prepare the crispy, caramelised breadcrumbs – in a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the butter and sugar over a medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the sugar has dissolved, and the mixture is golden.

  8. Add the breadcrumbs, cinnamon and salt to the pan and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture caramelises and darkens.

  9. Tip out of the pan, to prevent further cooking, and set aside to cool completely.

  10. Whip the cream and assemble the desserts – beat the cream, with a balloon or electric whisk, until you reach soft peaks stage.

  11. You can serve the dessert in one glass bowl or make the desserts individually, in dessert glasses. Assemble in the following order:

    – apple compote

    – whipped cream

    – crispy, caramelised breadcrumbs

    – apple compote

    – whipped cream

    – crispy, caramelised breadcrumbs

    – top with a sprig of mint and serve.

  12. Serve immediately.

  13. NB The cream can be whipped, and the apple compote and crispy, caramelised breadcrumbs, can be prepared in advance. However, in order to ensure that the breadcrumbs stay crispy, it is best to assemble the dessert, just before you serve it.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • chopping board and knife
  • saucepans x 2
  • mixing bowl and whisk
  • glass serving dish or dishes

What is Tilslørte Bondepiker?

Tilslørte Bondepiker, or Norwegian Layered Apple Dessert, can be literally translated as ‘veiled peasant girls’. It is a delightfully simple dish comprising of sweet, lemony apple compote, silky, whipped cream and crispy, caramelised, cinnamon breadcrumbs.

It has a long history in Scandinavia and was particularly popular before ice cream became widely available. Most commonly made with apple compote these days, older recipes use other orchard fruits, such as pears and plums.

In Sweden it is known as Änglamat, in Denmark Bondepige med slør, in Finland Pappilan hätävara and in Germany Verschleiertes Bauernmädchen. It is most commonly served in a glass dish, normally in individual portions, and decorated with nuts, grated chocolate or fresh mint leaves.

Where is this recipe from?

This recipe is very slightly adapted from the internationally acclaimed Swedish Michelin star chef, Magnus Nilsson. It is from his incredible anthology ‘The Nordic Cook Book’ in which he shares a collection of over 700 recipes, stories and beautiful photographs from the whole Nordic region.