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Hjónabandssæla
Hjónabandssæla: Icelandic 'happy marriage' oat crumble cake with rhubarb jam
Hjónabandssæla means 'marital bliss', and every Icelandic home has a version: an oat and butter crumble pressed into a tin, spread with rhubarb jam, topped with more crumble and baked until golden. It is the cake for unexpected guests, because everything is in the cupboard, and rhubarb grows in nearly every Icelandic garden. A common mistake is pressing the top layer down hard, which makes it dense; scatter it loosely. Chef's tip: use a tart homemade rhubarb jam if you can; its sourness balances the sweet, buttery oats.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the crumble
- 7 oz rolled oats
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 5 ½ oz soft brown sugar
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 6 ½ oz buttermelted
- 1 egg
For the filling
- 9 oz rhubarb jam
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (fan 325°F) and line a 24 cm tin.
Step 2: Mix 7 oz rolled oats, 5 ½ oz plain flour, 5 ½ oz soft brown sugar and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda. Stir in 6 ½ oz butter and 1 egg until clumpy.
Step 3: Press two-thirds into the tin and spread with 9 oz rhubarb jam.
Step 4: Scatter the rest of the crumble loosely over the top. Common mistake: pressing it down; it turns dense.
Step 5: Bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden. Cool in the tin before cutting.
40 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hjónabandssæla take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of rolled oats?
- Quick oats, same amount.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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