On Tuesday I told you about Fastelavn (Danish Carnival), Fastelavnsboller (Danish Carnival buns) and how to bake your own. Today we have another carnival essential…the Fastelavnsris! (The history behind it is here.) Now you can – selvfølgelig – buy these readymade in Danish sweet shops and supermarkets. But they’re generally overpriced for what you actually get…
Because when you take it out of the plastic packaging, um, it’s pretty disappointing – a few branches and a few sweets. So why not make your own?
First you’ll need some bare branches. You can actually buy them at supermarkets…but at kr.20 a pop, that’s another expense too far [said the canny Scot]. So make do with some from your garden. Or beg, steal, borrow them from a neighbour… Secure the branches at the bottom with tape, an elastic (hair)band, wire or ribbon.
Tie on lots (and lots and lots) of little packets of slik (sweets). The more the merrier! On a side note: If you have nursery kids, they’ll often receive a Fastelavnsris as a gift. Hats off to the ‘my-word-you-need-the-patience-of-a-saint-to-make-these-for-50-children’ nursery staff at this time of year! 😉
Cut out a few shapes from coloured card and stick on. Traditional shapes are cats (remember those live cats that used to be put inside the barrels…), barrels and masks. Go mad with glue sticks and sequins… The branches should be looking quite colourful now. Add a few coloured feathers if you have them. And streamers. Whatever you have on hand and takes your fancy.
Værsgo‘! All ready to display. (You can stick it in a vase or hang it upside down.) Or go ahead and thrash surprise a small child with it this Sunday…
Happy Fastelavn!
Diane 🙂