Layered rye bread ( lv, Rupjmaizes kārtojums) is a traditional Latvian

dessert Dessert is a course (food), course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Greece and West Africa, and ...

made from

rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe (Triticeae) and is closely related to both wheat (''Triticum'') and barley (genus ''Hordeum''). Rye grain is u ...

breadcrumbs,

blackcurrant The blackcurrant (''Ribes nigrum''), also known as black currant or cassis, is a deciduous shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its edible berries. It is native to temperate parts of central and northern Europe and northern Asia, whe ...

or lingonberry jam, and whipped cream. It is topped off with grated dark chocolate and/or

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...

and often served with fresh berries and cottage cheese ice cream. Layered rye bread similar in appearance and construction to the trifle of the British Isles, and is sometimes called rye bread trifle or Latvian ambrosia. Layered rye bread is an iconic Latvian food, and is considered one of the national dishes. It was the sweet chosen to represent Latvia in the

Café Europe Café Europe, Café d'Europe or also Café Europa was a cultural initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, held on Europe Day (9 May 2006) in 27 cafés of the capitals of the then 25 EU member states and the two countries whi ...

initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006.

Preparation

Layered rye bread is prepared in a clear glass, trifle dish or

parfait glass Parfait (, also , ; meaning "perfect") is either of two types of dessert. In France, where the dish originated, parfait is made by boiling cream, egg, sugar and syrup to create a custard-like puree. The American version consists of layers d ...

by first spreading a thin layer of

jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and entertai ...

or preserves on the bottom of the dish, then adding a thick layer of lightly sweetened vanilla-flavoured whipped cream or Mascarpone, which is then in turn sprinkled with a layer of dark rye bread crumbs. These layers are repeated up to the top of the dish when a final dollop of cream and sprinkling of the rye crumbs are added to enhance the dessert's appearance. An authentic layered rye bread is made from the traditional Latvian dark rye bread made entirely from rye flour. The bread is finely grated and pan-toasted in case it's not already dried. The breadcrumbs are then flavoured with

and sugar.

Borodinsky bread Borodinsky bread (russian: бородинский хлеб ''borodinskiy khleb'') or borodino bread is a dark brown sourdough rye bread of Russian origin, traditionally sweetened with molasses and flavored with coriander and caraway seeds. Prepa ...

, and failing this, a dark

pumpernickel Pumpernickel (; ) is a typically heavy, slightly sweet rye bread traditionally made with sourdough starter and coarsely ground rye. It is sometimes made with a combination of rye flour and whole rye grains ("rye berries"). At one time it was ...

, are sometimes used as a substitute in preparing this dessert when Latvian bread is not available. In a variation of the dessert the bread is soaked in

brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...

. Raspberry, strawberry and apricot are favourite preserves for preparing layered rye bread among Latvians, as are the more peculiarly Latvian aronia, sea buckthorn, lingonberry, rose hip and

red currant Red currant is a common name for several plants and may refer to: * ''Ribes rubrum'', a shrub native to western Europe and widely cultivated * ''Ribes sanguineum ''Ribes sanguineum'', the flowering currant, redflower currant, red-flowering curra ...

varieties. After preparing the dessert it is chilled thoroughly, since, over the course of several hours, the flavours of the individual ingredients meld, the rye crumbs soften and absorb fruit and cream liquids, and the dessert acquires a more cohesive texture. Fresh fruit is often added to the top of the dessert as a festive garnish to match or complement the jam variety used just before serving the dish.

References

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External links

How to make Latvian Layered Rye Bread DessertRūpjmaizes Kārtojums (Layered Latvian Rye Bread Dessert)
Latvian desserts Rye breads National dishes