Fattigmann — Norway's paper-thin fried Christmas twists

i. Origin & history

Fattigmann literally means 'poor man', and the usual explanation is ironic: the biscuits use so many egg yolks, so much cream and so much lard for frying that making them could leave a household poor. Another reading is that they were a cheap sweet compared with elaborate cakes. Either way, the name is old and fond, and the Norwegian-American spelling 'fattigman' has followed the biscuit to Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas, where it remains a Christmas staple in Scandinavian-heritage communities.

Fattigmann are part of the Norwegian julekaker tradition — the assortment of Christmas biscuits that many families still aim to have in seven kinds, the syv slag. Alongside crisp rolled krumkaker, sandkaker, berlinerkranser and smultringer, they are among the most traditional. In many families, a day in December is set aside for frying fattigmann, with several generations rolling, cutting and twisting together.

The fried, twisted diamond is shared across Scandinavia, and Norwegian fattigmann are close relatives of Danish klejner and Swedish klenäter. The difference is texture. Fattigmann dough is made mostly from yolks and cream with relatively little flour and rolled as thin as possible, so the biscuits puff and blister in the hot fat and are almost weightless. Klejner use butter and whole eggs and are rolled thicker, giving a sturdier, cakier bite.

Traditional fattigmann were fried in lard, which gives a clean, crisp finish. Many modern Norwegian cooks use a mixture of lard and vegetable fat, or neutral oil.

ii. Why thin dough makes them blister and shatter

Fattigmann dough is unusual: it is built on whipped egg yolks and sugar, loosened with cream and cognac, with just enough flour to make a dough that can be rolled. Whisking the yolks and sugar until pale and thick traps a little air; the cream adds fat and tenderness; the cognac adds flavour and, because alcohol evaporates fast in hot fat, helps the thin dough puff and blister.

Rolling thin is the key. At 1–2 mm, the dough cooks almost instantly in the hot fat. Steam forms inside, the surface bubbles into blisters, and the biscuit dries out and becomes crisp all through in under a minute. Thicker dough stays soft and chewy in the centre and absorbs more fat.

The dough must be well chilled — ideally overnight — before rolling. It is very soft and sticky from the yolks and cream, and cold firms the fat and lets the flour hydrate so it can be rolled thin without tearing and with little extra flour. Adding too much flour at the rolling stage makes fattigmann tough and dry rather than delicate.

Frying is quick and hot: about 180 °C, for 20–40 seconds a side, until pale gold. Fattigmann should be light in colour; dark brown means they are overcooked and bitter. Cardamom, ground fresh, gives the characteristic Norwegian aroma.

iii. Ingredients

Makes 50 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 75 g caster sugar
• 100 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp cognac or brandy
• 1½ tsp freshly ground cardamom
• 30 g butter, melted and cooled
• 300 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1000 g lard or neutral oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Egg yolks give fattigmann their richness, colour and delicate crispness; the leftover whites can go into meringues. Cognac is traditional; brandy, aquavit or a little lemon juice can stand in. Freshly ground cardamom is essential for the authentic flavour. Lard gives the crispest, least greasy result; neutral oil or a mixture works. The amount of flour varies with the size of the yolks — add just enough for a soft dough that is barely sticky after chilling. A fluted pastry wheel (fattigmannsspore) gives the traditional crinkled edges.

iv. Method

1. Whisk the yolks, whole egg and sugar for 5 minutes until pale and thick.
2. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it in, followed by the cognac, cardamom and melted butter.
3. Sift in the flour and salt and stir to a soft, slightly sticky dough. Wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
4. Roll out small portions of the dough on a lightly floured surface as thinly as possible, about 1–2 mm, keeping the rest chilled.
5. With a fluted pastry wheel or knife, cut into strips about 4 cm wide, then on the diagonal into diamonds about 10 cm long. Cut a 3 cm slit in the centre of each and pull one point through to make a twist.
6. Heat the lard or oil in a deep pan to 180 °C (355 °F). Fry 4–5 fattigmann at a time for 20–40 seconds a side, until pale golden and blistered.
7. Drain on kitchen paper and cool completely. Dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving, if you like.

v. Tips & common mistakes

• Chill the dough overnight. Fresh dough is too soft to roll thin. A night in the fridge makes it manageable without extra flour.
• Roll as thin as you can. The thinner the dough, the lighter and crisper the fattigmann. Thick ones are chewy.
• Use as little flour as possible. Extra flour on the board makes the biscuits tough and dry.
• Fry hot and fast. At 180 °C, they take seconds. Watch closely: pale gold is right, dark brown is overdone.
• Work in small batches. Keep the dough cold and roll small amounts, so it stays easy to handle.
• Store in a tin, not a box. Fattigmann absorb moisture easily; an airtight metal tin keeps them crisp.

vi. Variations

Some family recipes use only yolks and no whole egg; others replace part of the cream with sour cream. Lemon zest is sometimes added alongside cardamom. Norwegian-American recipes often call them fattigman and dust them heavily with icing sugar. The Danish cousin klejner uses butter and whole eggs for a sturdier biscuit.

Related fried pastries on DessertCat include Denmark's klejner, Poland's faworki (also called chrust or angel wings), Germany's Schneeballen and the honey-soaked chak-chak. For another Norwegian Christmas bake, see smultring.

vii. Serving & storage

Serve fattigmann piled high on a plate through advent and Christmas, with coffee, as part of a selection of julekaker. They are very fragile, so handle them gently and serve them on the day they come out of the tin.

Stored in an airtight tin, they keep crisp for 2–3 weeks. They can be frozen in a rigid container for up to 2 months. If they soften, crisp them briefly in a 150 °C oven.

ix. More from Scandinavian

• Klejner — Danish twisted Christmas crullers
• Smultring — Norwegian cardamom doughnuts
• Suksessterte — Norwegian success cake
• Skolebrød — Norwegian custard bun
• Faworki — Polish carnival ribbons
• Chak-Chak — honey-bound fried dough