Krvavá zima

přeložila Martina Kašparová

Ve škole začínají zimní prázdniny a patnáctiletá Bergljót už se nemůže dočkat volna stráveného s nejlepšími kamarádkami. Čáru přes rozpočet jí ale udělají děsivé události, které navždy změní životy obyvatel Islandu - zemi napadnou podivné bytosti z neznámých končin a všude, kam zavítají, po sobě nechávají kaluže krve. Zbývají poslední skupinky přeživších, roztroušené všude možně po ostrově. Bergljót a její tatínek nacházejí útočiště na Vestmanských ostrovech, maminka a mladší bratr zmizeli beze stopy. Bude rodina ještě někdy pohromadě? A podaří se zastavit vraždící monstra?  

Amma's Icelandic kleinur

These are made with baking powder, not yeast, and the dough is rolled and knotted before being fired. I never got her recipe, but this has been created in tribute to her. They're a big hit in our house.Eat them with a coffee, or a glass of cold milk.

Makes 30-35
300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g caster sugar
3 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp freshly ground cardamom seeds
50g butter
175g natural yoghurt
1 egg
Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Caster sugar mixed with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, for dusting

1 Combine the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground cardamom seeds in a bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and rub it into the dry ingredients.

2 Whisk together the yoghurt and egg. Add this to the dry ingredients. Mix well to form a ball of dough, kneading it lightly to bring it together. Roll the ball in a little flour, slightly flatten it, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3 When the dough has rested, heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or in a saucepan to 180C/350F.

4 Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface until it is 3mm thick and about 45cm square. You'll need to regularly dust it on top and underneath with flour to stop it sticking. Trim the edges and cut the rest into 6cm-wide strips. Cut the strips diagonally into 12cm lengths - they should look like elongated diamonds. Take each diamond and cut a line 3cm long down the centre, then bring up one end of the diamond, tuck it through the hole and bring it out the other side, as shown in the picture. Now you have the Icelandic kleinur twist. Put the twists on a floured worktop until they're ready to be cooked.

5 Cook a few twists at a time in the hot oil - they'll brown quite quickly. Turn them over and cook on the other side. As soon as they're a rich golden brown, all over, use a slotted spoon to quickly lift them out of the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Dust them with caster sugar or cinnamon sugar, just as my grandpa loved them, before eating, as soon as they come out of the pan.

• Rachel Allen is a TV chef, food writer and cookbook author. Her new book, Recipes from my Mother, is out now; rachelallen.com

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