Christmas cookie butter crisis - again

Once again, we are facing a butter crisis in Norway. Tine, the largest dairy company here has warned that they are facing exactly the same problem as last year - not enough milk/cream with a high fat content to make butter from.

At least this time they have come clean! Last year, butter was gone from the shops by mid November, and there was none available for the traditional Christmas baking frenzy that comes between Advent and Christmas in famiily homes all over Norway! The outcry was huge, and some butter was imported, but as soon as it reached the shops it was snapped up! Even the Danes tried to help by sending shipments of butter to Norway, and dsitrivuting packs free in the middle of Oslo (a little like the food parcels they sent in World War 2). The irony was not lost on the Norwegian press.

This year, however, Tine has arranged with a French butter producer to take up  the slack and make butter from Irish cream, which will then be imported into Norwa. Why? Is it not possible for Tine to import the cream themselves and make butter here? There is probably an answer to be found in how import duties levied on food products. My guess is that because it is documented that Norway will suffer a butter shortage unless butter is imported, the duty has been lowered in order to allow the butter to enter the country and be sold at a reasonable price. We are not facing a cream shortage, so the duty on that will be at the highest possible level - to protect Norwegian y farmers!

We must be careful though with this oreign butter, it is not like Norwegian butter. Tine has warned that because Irish cream has a different fat density compared to Norwegian cream, butter made from it is 'softer'. As a result, baking times will be shorter and they cannot guarantee that the results will be as good.

Really? You know, I think this might be a challenge for Wenche's cook slot on TV2's  Good Morning Norway TV Programme. Bake some Christmas cookies (there's plenty of different types to choose from - it's a big tradition here!) rom both types of butter and then do a taste test!

Bon appetit.

Sirupskaker (Sirup biscuits)

Ingredients

100 g	golden syrup
60 g	sugarr
0.5 dl	double cream
60 g	butter
1	egg yolk
250 g	plain flour
0.25 ts	ginger
0.5 ts	pepper
0.75 ts	baking soda
100 g	almonds

Method (gives around 40 biscuits)

Heat the syrup, sugar and cream. Add the butter and stir until the butter is melted. When the mixture iscool to the touch mix in the egg yolk. Sift a little of the flour, together with the ginger and baking soda into the mixture. Stir. Cotinue to sift in flour until you get a smooth firm dough. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.

Take small amounts of the dough and roll out to about 2mm thickness. Try not to use too much flour as loose flour on the surface makes them look grey! Cut out diamonds with a fluted wheel.

Place on an oiled or silicone lined baking sheet. If you like place a half almond on each square. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 180°C. Cool on a wire rack.