Despite the playful name, ástarpungar are serious comfort food — deep-fried cardamom dough with raisins, beloved with afternoon coffee.
Ingredients
- 500g flour, 200g sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp cardamom
- 3 eggs, 300ml milk, 50g melted butter, 150g raisins
- Neutral oil for frying
Preparation
- Whisk dry ingredients. Beat eggs with milk and butter, then combine to a thick sticky batter. Fold in raisins.
- Heat oil to 175°C (350°F). Dip two spoons in hot oil to prevent sticking.
- Drop walnut-sized balls into oil, 4–5 at a time. Fry 4–5 minutes until deep golden, turning as needed.
- Drain on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Chef's tips
- Oil temperature is everything — too hot burns the outside; too cool makes them greasy.
- Oiled spoons make shaping effortless.
About Sigrún Ólafsdóttir
Sigrún grew up baking rúgbrauð with her grandmother in Akureyri and has spent the last decade collecting recipes from kitchens all over Iceland. She writes Icelandic MAT's recipes, one dish at a time.