Cake’s relatively short shelf life means it goes dry and unpalatable even before it goes completely off. The Danes’ answer to this problem are romkugler, or zero-waste rum truffles made from leftover cake, jam and rum that are sold in almost every bakery in Denmark, and save an unquantifiable amount of cake from going to waste.
Trine Hahnemann, chef, food writer and owner of the Hahnemanns Køkken bakery and cafe in Copenhagen, tells me more: “In my bakery, we never throw out any cakes. All the cakes that are too old to sell, we save and freeze, and then, once a week, we put them in the blender and mash up to make romkugler. We sell so many that sometimes I don’t have enough leftovers.”
Romkugler can be made with any leftover cake and fortified with oats or rye flakes. The jam isn’t essential, but it adds sweetness and helps the truffle stick together. Rum is the traditional spirit of choice, but in reality any will do, depending on what you have in your cupboard. I like to roll my romkugler in both cocoa and desiccated coconut, so you get a mixture of white ones and brown ones.
Romkugler (rum truffles made from leftover cake)
Romkugler are a great example of zero-waste within traditional cooking. This thrifty Danish-inspired recipe converts stale cake into delicious, rich and pleasurable truffles. They make great gifts or late-night treats, and can be made with any leftover cake, including Christmas cake.
300g leftover cake and/or Danish pastries
30g oats, or rye flakes (optional)
2 tbsp jam, or marmalade
2 tbsp rum, or another spirit
1 tbsp cocoa powder, plus 3 tbsp extra for rolling
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
3 tbsp coconut flakes
Pulse blend the cake and oats, if using, into a fine crumb. Add the jam,rum, the tablespoon of cocoa powder and vanilla extract, if using, then pulse blend again until combined. Roll the mix into 30g balls, then roll the mix in coconut flakes or/and cocoa – I like to do half and half, so you get a mix of white and dark balls , then store – they’ll keep in a sealed container in the fridge for five days or freeze them for up to three months.
