By Rob Olason
"The Twelve VÃnartertas Before Christmas" postings on the Icelandic Roots Facebook page during December 2023, were a way to celebrate what could arguably be called the Western Icelander's favorite comfort food. Not to slight all the other Icelandic favorites, but vÃnarterta stands out in a class all its own in the realm of Icelandic delicacies.
During this Yuletide tribute to vÃnarterta, we made two incredible discoveries. First, several readers remarked that they did not have a recipe to make vÃnarterta and desperately wanted one.
The second discovery we made shocked us to an even greater degree: there was no vÃnarterta recipe on the Icelandic Roots website. (!) (?) (!)
Thankfully a couple of members sent in their tried and true recipes. We are posting those gems here.
We know that "favoring" any version of the vÃnarterta recipe can attract complaints that the absolute "best" recipe-the one that amma always made-is unrepresented. We understand that concern completely and propose a remedy:
Send in your Best VÃnarterta Recipe Ever to outreach@icelandicroots.com and we'll
include it in our online vÃnarterta recipe collection.
Here's what we have so far:
Mrs. Peterson's VÃnarterta Recipe: Iceland's Christmas Cake (7 layers) :
Our next recipe is a six-layer cake from Mrs. B.J. Brandson:
Not to be outdone, here is Mrs. F. J. Bergmann's five-layer variation on a theme featuring raspberry jam as the unique filling ingredient. She shows a flair for daring moves by adding chopped almonds to her flour mixture.
Here is a link to a gluten-free vÃnarterta recipe with modifications by Terri Wintonyk that can be made dairy-free also.
The Icelandic Roots volunteers wish you the best as you explore these recipes and experience the pleasures of enjoying the vÃnarterta you made which may just be the Best VÃnarterta Ever!