The Goro Experiment

This year I broke a tradition of not traveling on Labor Day weekend. I hate the traffic and all the crazy drivers...but I was offered a chance to take a bus to Scan Fest in Vasa Park at Budd Lake, NJ. The last time I was there my daughter was about a year old...she is now 25!  Anyway while I was there I found a Goro Iron and it was on sale for half price! I have wanted a Goro iron for a few years now so I was really excited at my find.

 I only had made Goro once a few years ago when I borrowed an iron from a friend at the Son's of Norway. So now I was on a quest for a good recipe for Goro! I found one again  by Kari Diehl, on about.com.
 A direct quote form Ms. Diehl  "So few people cook Norwegian goro "crackers" nowadays that they can become a signature gift for cooks who take the time to bake them for friends and teachers during the holidays. They are sort of a cross between a cookie, a cracker, and a waffle – not too sweet, and quite possibly the most beautiful of all Scandinavian baked goods."


So I set out to try her recipe. I made a few changes but I think this is the one I will be using.

Norwegian Goro – Cardamom Crackers


Prep Time: 20 minutes


Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

•3 eggs

•1 cup sugar

•1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp. vanilla)

•1 cup whipped cream, whipped to firm peaks

•1 cup butter, melted

•2 Tbsp. brandy or cognac ( it is listed as optional but definitely add it)

•6  cups all-purpose flour

•1 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
Preparation:

Trace a rectangular pattern the same size as your goro iron onto parchment or other paper; cut out. Spray goro iron lightly with cooking spray and heat, closed, over medium-high burner until a drop of water sizzles on the surface when opened.



Beat together three eggs, sugar, and vanilla sugar (or vanilla). Fold in whipped cream and melted butter. Stir in cognac, if using. Sift together 6 cups of flour, cardamom and cinnamon, then mix into batter. Add additional flour, if needed, until dough is very firm (it should be about the consistency of pizza dough).

Separate the dough into thirds. Refrigerate the dough you are not using. Take the 1/3 of the dough and roll  on a  lightly floured surface to a 1/8" - 1/16" thickness( I found 1/8 to be a bit thick) Place paper pattern on dough and cut squares the size of your goro iron. Stack keeping separated with wax paper and put in refrigerator. repeat with remaining dough.
Transfer each dough square to the goro iron, close iron, and cook the first side for approx 2 to 2.5 minutes,pressing the iron's handle together lightly to impress pattern upon the cracker . Flip iron and cook for an additional 2- 2.5 minutes, until both sides of cracker are golden brown. If you are rolling out to 1/16 I would check the cookie at one minute. This is just a guide to cooking times it all depends on the thickness you roll them out to and the temp you are cooking them at.

Transfer cracker to rack to cool;immediately, cut into the individual sections and trim off outside edges (if desired). Repeat process with remaining dough till all cookies are done.
Freeze or store in an airtight container.

Yield: Approx. 48 goro cookies.

The link to the orginal recipe by Kari Diehl: http://scandinavianfood.about.com/od/cookierecipes/r/Goro.htm