Otherwise known as the cake that singlehandedly stopped this blog in its tracks for a week. Not a real catchy title but a true statement. This recipe took more time and effort than I originally thought it would. I really wanted it to be ready last Friday on Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day) as this is the traditional dessert served in celebration of the day that Norway became an independent kingdom with the signing of its constitution in 1814. Alas, the recipe was not ready for publication. We did have plenty of test cakes to eat, though, so the day did not go uncelebrated here. I worked out all of the kinks over the weekend and arrived at this final glorious version yesterday afternoon. And I have to say, it was worth the wait. This cake is everything that I had hoped it would be…rich pastry cream and a luscious strawberry filling sandwiched between two layers of tender vanilla cake and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It’s the perfect show-stopping dessert for any summer celebration, gathering or weekend dinner that you have coming up in the next few months. So what are we waiting for? Let me introduce you to this delicious Scandinavian Strawberry Cream Cake.

The Nordic countries are known for their wild summer berries so it’s not surprising that a strawberry cream cake would be a popular dessert all over the region. As I mentioned above, it’s the go-to celebration cake for Norwegian Constitution Day and a popular choice for Midsummer celebrations in June. The summer strawberry cream cake is a Scandinavian classic and one that anyone interested in Nordic baking should have in their repertoire.

The Right Amount of Richness

Let’s start with the cake itself. Some of the recipes I came across in my research contained butter and some didn’t. I tried both and much preferred the cake made with butter (surprise!) but not too much butter. One version I tried was simply too rich and buttery once the entire cake was assembled. A modest amount of butter was the answer, just enough to provide a luxurious mouthfeel and the right amount of richness. My final recipe turned out to be a variation of the cake I used for my Tosca cake a few weeks ago but with less butter and a little less sugar. I also wanted to avoid cutting the cake in half to create layers. We all know that deep down I’m a lazy baker and hate fussy techniques…cutting cakes into layers being one of them. One false move and your layers are hopelessly uneven. I baked the layers in separate 9 inch cake pans which worked perfectly and allowed me to skip that stressful cutting altogether.

Roasted Strawberries for Maximum Flavor

Now that I had the cake dialed in, it was time to address the filling. Some of the recipes I found called for using strawberry jam and pastry cream. Some just whipped cream and strawberries. I really liked the idea of the jam and pastry cream (I cannot say no to pastry cream) so I started there. My first version contained my standard pastry cream recipe and some store-bought strawberry jam stirred into chopped fresh strawberries. The fresh berries were fine, but the jam wasn’t adding anything other than a bit of sweetness and an artificial strawberry flavor. I really wanted the strawberry filling to taste deeply of strawberries and surprisingly, the combination of fresh strawberries and jam didn’t achieve that. Then I remembered my Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote recipe in which I roast strawberries and rhubarb in the oven with some sugar to create a delicious jam-like concoction. What if I tried that technique for the strawberry filling? I roasted a pound of chopped fresh strawberries in the oven with a quarter cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. Success! This was the deep strawberry flavor I was after. Store-bought jam out….roasted strawberries in.

Easy Assembly

Once I had mastered the cake and filling, it was time to assemble the cake. As I’ve said before, I’m a rustic baker by nature and am not much for elaborate decorating techniques. I really liked the idea of a cake that was open on the sides and piled high with whipped cream and minimally cut fresh berries. Most of the recipes I found called for whipped cream made with powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar. I tried both and much preferred the version made with granulated sugar. Powdered sugar contains cornstarch and thickens the cream really quickly. This can lead to over-whipped, curdled-looking cream in the blink of an eye. I liked the soft texture and appearance of the whipped cream made with granulated sugar much better, and it was easier and more forgiving to work with.

Rustic and yet elegant and bursting with true strawberry and cream flavor, this cake is the perfect way to celebrate summer with true Nordic style.

Scandinavian Strawberry Cream Cake

A show-stopping Nordic celebration cake filled with roasted strawberries and pastry cream and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.  Perfect for any summer occasion!

• Author: Kristi
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes + cooling time
• Yield: 1 9-inch layer cake 1x
• Category: Cake
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Roasted Strawberry Filling:

1 pound strawberries, quartered

¼ cup granulated sugar

Pinch of fine salt

 

For the Cake Layers:

½ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup milk

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

For the Pastry Cream Filling:

2 egg yolks

1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup half and half

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of fine salt

 

For the Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

To Assemble the Cake:

Roasted Strawberry Filling

Cake Layers

Pastry Cream Filling

Whipped Cream

2 cups strawberries, halved if small or quartered if large

2 or 3 whole strawberries for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the Roasted Strawberry Filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine strawberries, sugar and salt in an 8 inch square baking dish.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir briefly.  Return to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.  Mash mixture with the back of a fork until it is a jam-like texture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Filling should be completely cool before assembling the cake.  (Filling can be made up to a week in advance).  

2. Make the Cake Layers:  Warm butter in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until the butter is melted.  Add milk. Stir and set aside to cool.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees if you have not already done so to make the Roasted Strawberry Filling.  Butter two 9 inch cake rounds. Place a 9 inch circle of parchment paper on the bottom of each pan.  Butter the parchment paper. Flour the inside of the pans. Set aside.

4. Whisk flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until fully combined.  Set aside.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until light in texture and pale yellow in color, about 2-3 minutes.  Reduce speed to medium-low and add vanilla.

6. Reduce mixer speed to low and add ⅓ of the cooled butter and milk mixture followed by ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Repeat this process two more times ending with final ⅓ of the flour mixture.

7. Divide cake batter equally between the prepared pans.  Using a small off-set spatula, spread batter out evenly to the edges of the pan.  Bake until golden brown and a tester poked into the center of each cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Set cakes aside to cool.

8. Meanwhile, make the Pastry Cream Filling.  Whisk egg yolks, butter, cornstarch, half and half and sugar together in a medium saucepan.  Place pan over medium low heat and whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and thick, about 3-5 minutes.  Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in vanilla. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the pastry cream, followed by a layer of plastic wrap (this prevents the custard from forming a skin).  Refrigerate until you are ready to use. Pastry cream should be completely cool before assembling the cake. (Pastry Cream Filling can be made 1-2 days in advance.)

9. When you are ready to assemble the cake, make the Whipped Cream.  Place cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high to high speed until the cream starts to thicken. Add sugar and continue to whip until the cream can hold medium peaks.  Add vanilla.

10. Assemble the cake.  Place one cake layer on the bottom of a serving plate.  Spread Pastry Cream Filling evenly over the top leaving a border around the edge of about ½ inch.  Spoon Roasted Strawberry Filling over the top of the pastry cream. Place the second cake layer on top of the strawberry filling.  Spread whipped cream on the cake and arrange fresh strawberries over the top, finishing with two or three whole strawberries for garnish.  Serve immediately.

Notes

Using a serrated knife will help create clean cake slices.

 

If you want to make the cake in advance (up to a couple of hours), hold off on topping it with the whipped cream and strawberries until just before serving.  Simply wrap the unfrosted, filled cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to add the whipped cream and strawberries.

Keywords: Strawberry, Cream, Cake, Scandinavian, Summer, Nordic

Salad and I….let’s just say that our relationship has been strained over the years and largely because of a few early misconceptions on my part. Growing up in the Midwest in the 1980’s, salads meant iceberg lettuce, stale croutons from a box and gloppy dressing from a bottle. I’m sure some of you know what I’m talking about. And then there were the salad bars at my high school and the college dorm cafeteria. Both of these experiences make me think of cottage cheese and bacon bits for some reason. Hopefully that’s not all I ate, but I can’t promise anything. In those days it was easy to fill your plate with a bunch of very non-green foods while still feeling virtuous because you chose the salad bar. When I was out on my own, I gave up on salad for awhile. There were several years in my 20’s when I subsisted largely on blueberry bagels and strawberry cream cheese and Golden Grahams….not a green leaf in sight. It’s a wonder I’m still here.

Thankfully things change. I’ve become a curious (and better) cook and eater over the past 20 years. The selection of lettuce options available in the grocery store today is vast, almost overwhelming. Farmer’s markets offering freshly picked greens abound. Oh, and as it turns out, you can put all sorts of different things into a salad! Bulk them up with hearty grains, add some roasted or sautéed vegetables, sprinkle nuts, seeds or cheese on top, make a quick and delicious homemade vinaigrette…honestly, we are only limited by our imagination. Salad, I feel that I’ve misjudged you. I think it’s time to breathe new life into this relationship.

Which brings us to this delicious combination. Hearty pearl barley, bright asparagus, red bell pepper and spinach are a far cry from iceberg lettuce and croutons. I first began making a version of this salad, minus the pearl barley, several years ago when I came across it in an issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (a.k.a. my cooking bible from 1990-2005). It made a lovely first course then, and it makes an even lovelier main course salad now with the addition of barley and a sprinkling of toasted almonds. There are a few things that really make this salad special: thin, tender spears of seasonal asparagus, creamy goat cheese crumbles and a sherry vinaigrette that is incredibly simple and just what you need to pull everything together. The salad is tossed in two bowls and while it does require the tiniest bit of extra dishwashing, your efforts will be rewarded. Keeping the baby spinach separate from the asparagus and barley mixture really helps maintain the integrity of the ingredients and prevents bruising the delicate greens.

Don’t let those early years of not loving salad hold you back. You were just a kid! Now you know better. You can turn things around. This delicious combination is just the thing to remind you of how interesting and satisfying a good salad can be.

Springtime Barley Salad with Asparagus, Red Pepper and Spinach

A delicious and hearty spring salad with sautéed asparagus, red pepper, spinach and pearl barley

• Author: Kristi
• Prep Time: 20 minutes + 30 minutes to cook the pearl barley
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2–3 large salads, 4 side salads 1x
• Category: salad
• Method: sauté
• Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, divided

1 garlic clove, minced

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 red bell pepper, cut into a medium dice

8 ounces thin asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium shallot, sliced thin

1 ½ cups cooked pearl barley, cooled (see note below)

4-5 cups baby spinach

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Soft goat cheese for crumbling over the top

Instructions

1. Combine vinegar and garlic together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add red pepper and cook until lightly browned and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until nearly tender, about 2 minutes.  Add shallot and cook until softened, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat and add remaining teaspoon of sherry vinegar. Stir in cooled barley. Set aside to cool while you make the vinaigrette.

3. Whisk remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil into garlic and sherry vinegar mixture.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Toss spinach with 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette in a large bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Add asparagus and barley mixture to the medium bowl with the remaining vinaigrette.  Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. To serve, create a bed of spinach on the bottom of each plate.  Arrange the asparagus and barley mixture over the top. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and crumbled goat cheese.

Notes

To cook pearl barley: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Season with salt. Add 1 cup pearl barley. Cook until tender, about 25-30 minutes.  Drain and set aside to cool. If you want to expedite the cooling process, spread the cooked barley out on a sheet pan and place it in the refrigerator.  1 cup of dry pearl barley makes approximately 3 cups cooked so you will have more than you need. (Barley can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container).

Adapted from the May/June 2003 issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine.

Keywords: spring, salad, asparagus, spinach, red pepper, goat cheese

The Tosca cake is one of the most popular cakes in Sweden for good reason. It is the delicious coming together of opposites: A rich, crispy layer of caramel and toasted almonds and a moist, delicate sponge cake underneath. I’ve made this cake a few times in the past, but as I set out to perfect it for the blog I had a few criteria that I wanted to achieve. First and foremost, I wanted the cake itself to be moist and tender….no one wants a dry, crumbly cake and yet there are plenty of them out there. Second, I wanted the topping to be chock full of toasty almonds to provide that satisfying crunch to contrast the softness of the interior. Finally, I wanted this cake to be unfussy and easy to put together. Not too much to ask, right?

I began researching recipes and found that the cakes themselves were very similar, relying on a combination of eggs, sugar, milk, butter, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. I decided right away that I wanted to substitute almond flour for a portion of the all-purpose flour. Almond flour is known for its ability to create an exceptionally moist and tender cake, but I also didn’t want to overdo it. Almond flour is essentially ground almonds and can create a cake that is over-the-top rich, dense and even greasy in texture. The right amount of almond flour would be key. I began by swapping out 1/3 of the all-purpose flour for almond flour. This cake was delicious and extremely moist, but also a little heavy and sunken in the middle. I did a little more research and came across an article at the King Arthur Flour blog that suggested that 25% almond flour /75% all-purpose flour was a nice mix for producing a tender crumb without compromising the light texture of the sponge cake. This ratio produced the moist and tender cake I had imagined without a hint of heaviness or greasiness.

Now that I had the cake down, I turned my attention to the topping. My research revealed two different methods of working with the caramel and almonds: Some recipes called for removing the cake from the oven about 10 minutes before it was done, adding the topping and then letting it continue to bake from there. Others called for fully baking the cake, adding the topping and then slipping it under the broiler for a minute or two to caramelize it. I liked this second option as I really wanted to ensure that my caramel and almonds were nicely browned and crispy. I also didn’t like the idea of fussing with a partially baked cake and risk compromising the crumb by taking it out of the oven and adding a topping two-thirds of the way through the baking time. The broiling method worked beautifully (keep a close eye on it!) producing a golden brown, crisp topping, but it still seemed like something was missing…like the sweetness of the cake was one dimensional. On a whim, I sprinkled sea salt flakes over the top of the caramelized cake to see if that would add the little extra something I was looking for. Success! The crunchy salt crystals provided that delightful sweet/salty combination (think salted caramel) that perfected my version of the Tosca cake.

Tosca Cake

A simple, moist yellow cake topped with a layer of crispy caramel and almonds.

• Author: Kristi
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 10-12 slices
• Category: baking, fika
• Method: baking
• Cuisine: Nordic, Swedish, Scandinavian

Ingredients

For the Cake:

¾ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup whole milk

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the Topping:

¼ cup unsalted butter

¾  cup sliced almonds

⅛ teaspoon fine salt

½ cup sugar

½ cup heavy whipping cream

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling (optional)

 

Whipped cream for serving, optional

Instructions

1. Warm butter in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until the butter is melted.  Add milk. Stir and set aside to cool.

2. Set oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 9 inch springform pan and set aside.

3. Whisk flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until fully combined.  Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until light in texture and pale yellow in color, about 2-3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add vanilla.

5. Leave mixer speed on low and add ⅓ of the cooled butter and milk mixture followed by ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Repeat this process two more times ending with final ⅓ of the flour mixture.

6. Transfer cake batter to prepared springform pan.  Bake until golden brown and a tester poked into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.  Set cake aside to cool slightly.

7. While the cake is cooling, make the topping.  Set the oven to broil and make sure the oven rack is in the middle position.  Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add almonds and fine salt and sauté until the almonds are just beginning to brown.  Add the sugar and cream.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until the mixture is slightly darker tan in color and is starting to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

8. Pour the topping over the cake and broil until topping is nicely browned and bubbly.  Keep a very close eye on it! This will happen in only a minute or so. I leave the oven door propped open so I can make sure it doesn’t get too dark.  Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.  Allow cake to cool in the pan.

9. Before serving, run a knife in between the cake and the edge of the pan to make sure that it is not sticking before you remove the sides of the springform pan.  Cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream if desired.

Keywords: Tosca, cake, almonds, caramel, fika, Swedish