Laufabrauð (‘leaf bread’) is a traditional kind of Icelandic bread most often eaten in the Christmas season. Although originating from northern Iceland, it is now eaten throughout the country: it consists of round, very thin flat cakes with a diameter of 15-20 cm, decorated with leaf-like, geometric patterns and fried briefly in hot fat or oil. Laufabrauð can be made at home or bought in bakeries; patterns are either cut by hand or created using a heavy brass roller, the ‘laufabrauðsjárn’ (‘leaf bread iron’). The most common pattern consists of rows of ‘V’-like flaps, with each flap overlapping on the next one to form a braid-like design: the rows can form a larger pattern, such as a snowflake or a letter. Baking Laufabrauð at home is often an integral part of Christmas preparations, with many generations of a family gathering together to decorate it.
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