Swedish Vacuum Cleaner Pastry Rolls

Dammsugare, meaning "vacuum cleaner" in Swedish, are playful cylindrical pastries inspired by the look of vintage vacuum hoses. Crisp cookie shells are filled with a buttery cocoa-cookie crumb mixture, wrapped in green marzipan, and finished with chocolate-dipped ends rolled in dark chocolate sprinkles for an unmistakable Swedish fika classic.

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Total Time57 mins

Servings10

Yield10 pastry rolls

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

345 kcalCalories
18 gFat
8 gSaturated Fat
42 gCarbs
2 gFiber
26 gSugar
4 gProtein
95 mgSodium
140 mgPotassium
35 mgCalcium
2 mgIron
0 mgVitamin C
180 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the cookie shells

150 g all-purpose flour
100 g unsalted butter, softened
75 g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

For the cocoa filling

120 g plain tea biscuits, finely crushed
60 g unsalted butter, softened
40 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
80 g powdered sugar
2 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
1 tbsp heavy cream

For assembly

200 g green marzipan
100 g dark chocolate sprinkles (or chocolate nonpareils)
100 g dark chocolate, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Mix in the flour just until a soft dough forms. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to about 3 mm thick and cut into rectangles roughly 4 x 10 cm.
Bake the rectangles for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden at the edges. While still warm and pliable, wrap each rectangle around the handle of a wooden spoon or thick dowel to form a hollow 1.5 cm diameter cylinder; slide off carefully and cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the filling by beating the softened butter with cocoa powder and powdered sugar until smooth, then stir in the crushed biscuits, jam, and cream to form a thick, moldable paste.
Pipe or spoon the filling into each cooled cookie cylinder, packing it firmly so the roll feels solid like a small hose. Trim the ends flush and chill the filled rolls for 20 minutes to firm up.
Dust the work surface with powdered sugar and roll the green marzipan into a thin sheet about 2 mm thick. Cut strips wide enough to wrap fully around each filled cylinder, then roll each pastry in the marzipan, sealing the seam underneath and smoothing the surface.
Dip each end of the marzipan-wrapped roll into the melted dark chocolate, leaving a green band in the middle, then immediately press the chocolate-coated ends into a bowl of dark chocolate sprinkles so they resemble the bristle attachments of a vacuum hose.
Place the finished dammsugare on a tray and chill for at least 30 minutes until the chocolate sets. Serve at room temperature alongside coffee for a traditional Swedish fika.

Cook’s Notes

Shape the warm cookie rectangles around your dowel quickly; they firm up fast and will crack if you wait too long.
If marzipan tears while wrapping, simply pinch it back together and roll the seam smooth with your fingers.
Plain Marie biscuits or leftover ginger snaps work beautifully in the filling for extra spice.
Store dammsugare in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week; bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
For a more vivid "hose" look, leave a generous 1-1.5 cm green band visible between the two chocolate ends.