What’s “knäck”? Knäck is another sugar shot and dentists’ nightmare. Very traditional Christmas candy in Scandoland.

You have been warned.

Making them is deceptively simple. Start by setting out the paper cups on a tray. These are really small cups, holding only a few tsp each.

Mix 2 dl of sugar with 2 dl of full fat cream and 2 dl of sugar syrup in a large heat resistant pot. Stir with a wooden spoon.

Why does it need to be a wooden spoon? Mrs J has no idea. That’s just the way it is. Unless you make them in the microwave. But doing that is also likely to set your kitchen on fire. So Mrs J would really recommend the wooden spoon.

Bring to the boil and cook for 15 min.

Be very, very careful. This stuff is ultra hot and when it boils it expands a lot. Mrs J suggests to lock up kids, husbands and pets while it cooks. If you get it on your stove, it’s better to soak it off later with warm water. Don’t scrape.

Get a glass of ice-cold water and after 15 minutes drop some of the mix into it. Use your fingers (carefully) to try to form a ball. If you’re able to form a ball, eat it. If the consistency is perfect for how firm you’d like your knäck to be when eating it, stop cooking. If you want it firmer, continue for another 2-3 minutes and repeat the test.

The “ball-test” is where making knäck becomes an art. Mrs J prefers to have a firmer consistency to be sure that when served you’re able to get the paper off, still it should be soft enough to become chewy when warmed by the mouth.

When you’re satisfied regarding the consistency, take the mix off the heat and add just short of 1 dl of chopped almonds and a tablespoon of butter. Stir and transfer to something easy to pour from. Something made of metal that you can pre-and-re-heat will make the final step easier.

Very quickly pour into the paper cups. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to pour (as it cools).

Set aside in a cool place and try to forget about them until Christmas. It won’t work, but maybe you’ll have a few left!