Knäck – Swedish Christmas toffee with cream, syrup and almonds

Cream, sugar and syrup – boil to 124 degrees and pour into cases

about 40 pieces
Time: 10 min + 25 min boiling + 1 hour in the fridge
Difficulty: Medium
6 ingredients
7 steps

Photo: Jesper Sandström, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Knäck is the Christmas sweet many Swedes remember from childhood: chewy or hard little toffees of cream, sugar and syrup in small paper cases, with chopped almonds that crunch. It is also one of the easiest Christmas sweets to make yourself – all it takes is patience while the mixture boils. Make a batch the same weekend you bake gingerbread biscuits, and the Christmas sweets are ready for the first Sunday of Advent.

The whole secret is the temperature. Knäck that boils too briefly turns chewy and sticky; knäck that boils too long turns hard as glass. With a thermometer – or the old ball test in a glass of cold water – it comes out right every time. And since the sugar mixture gets hotter than 120 degrees, the children should help with the cases and almonds but not stir the pan.

Method

Set out the toffee cases on a tray, preferably doubled so they stand firmly.
Mix cream, sugar and syrup in the saucepan.
Bring to the boil over medium heat and let it boil without a lid. Stir now and then so that it doesn't burn on the bottom.
Boil for about 20–30 minutes, until the mixture reaches 124 degrees or passes the ball test: drop a little of the mixture into a glass of cold water – if it can be rolled into a firm ball, the knäck is ready.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter and chopped almonds.
Divide the mixture between the cases with two teaspoons, about one teaspoon per case.
Let the knäck set, first at room temperature and then in the fridge for an hour.

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The ball test – how to tell when the knäck is ready

If you don't have a thermometer, the ball test works just as well:

Fill a glass with cold water.
Drop half a teaspoon of the mixture into the water and leave it for a few seconds.
Pick it up with your fingers. Soft and runny – boil longer. Can be rolled into a soft ball – chewy knäck. Firm ball – classic knäck. Hard and brittle – it has boiled too long.

Test often towards the end. The mixture goes from chewy to hard in just a few minutes.

Making knäck with children

Knäck is perfect to make together, but the sugar mixture gets hotter than 120 degrees and sticks to the skin. So let an adult handle the pan and fill the cases. The children can set out the cases, chop almonds with an adult beside them and sprinkle almonds or salt on top. The youngest can do the ball test – with an adult taking the mixture out of the glass. Children under three should not eat whole almonds, and knäck is chewy – give the youngest a small piece.

Vary the knäck

Salted knäck: sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt over each piece before it sets.
Gingerbread knäck: stir in 1 tsp gingerbread spice with the butter.
Nut-free knäck: swap the almonds for toasted oats or breadcrumbs – or leave them out.
More almonds: if you have almonds left over, make almond paste for marzipan pigs and other Christmas sweets.
Chocolate knäck: dip the set knäck in melted dark chocolate. If there is chocolate left over, it is perfect for chocolate fondue over an open fire.
Knäck in a large format: pour the mixture into a tin lined with baking paper and cut into pieces once it has cooled.

Knäck as a gift and on outings

Knäck in a jar with a ribbon around it is a lovely Christmas present that children can make themselves – for the teacher, grandma or the neighbour. It also travels well: pack a few pieces in a jar together with a flask of glögg when you go to a Christmas market or look for sticks for a Christmas star. There are more sweet recipes among the best desserts.

Common mistakes

Boiled too briefly – the knäck turns chewy and sticky.
Boiled too long – the knäck turns hard as glass.
Too high a heat – the sugar and cream burn on the bottom.
The knäck sets in the pan – work quickly once the mixture is ready and warm it gently if it gets too stiff.

Frequently asked questions

How do you know when knäck is ready?

The mixture is ready at 124 degrees, or when a drop in cold water can be rolled into a firm ball. If you want chewier knäck, take it off a few degrees earlier.

Why is my knäck chewy?

It hasn't boiled long enough. Next time, boil it a few minutes longer and do the ball test until the drop becomes a firm ball.

How long does homemade knäck keep?

In an airtight jar in the fridge, knäck keeps for two to three weeks. Put baking paper between the layers so they don't stick together.

Can you make knäck without cream?

Yes, with oat cream or coconut cream. The knäck turns out a little different in taste and texture, but it works well.

More Christmas sweets and baking: bake gingerbread biscuits with the children, make lussekatter for Lucia or read the whole the Christmas guide.