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Summer Skyr Tart with Fresh Berries

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Summer Skyr Tart with Fresh Berries
Summer Skyr Tart with Fresh Berries

What is Skyr?

Skyr (pronounced skeer) is a dairy product that has been an important part of Icelandic food culture for over a thousand years. Here in the United States, it is often marketed as the Nordic answer to Greek yogurt. In Iceland, however, skyr as technically considered a fresh cheese, something like quark, because of the addition of rennet in the recipe. Most commercial brands no longer use rennet to make skyr, just particular strains of probiotics that are unique to the product, and different from those used to make yogurt. Skyr is also strained, much like Greek yogurt is, which helps give it a thick, creamy texture and high protein content. It takes 4 cups of milk to make 1 cup of skyr.

How to Enjoy Skyr

There are many ways to enjoy skyr. It makes a nutritious accompaniment to your morning granola and fruit. Or stir in a little lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs to make a savory sauce to pair with roasted vegetables or a bowl of cooked lentils. In Iceland, they serve it for dessert with sugar, fresh berries and drizzled with cream. This may seems strange in a dairy-on-dairy kind of way, but skyr is naturally low in fat and pairs deliciously with a little full-fat cream poured over the top. Just don’t stir it all together before you eat it….the point is to have a little cream and a little skyr in each bite, distinct from one another.

This tart is perhaps the most beautiful way to enjoy your skyr….a buttery, crisp crust filled with a combination of skyr and cream cheese and topped with heaps of fresh summer berries. It is a stunning and delicious dessert for any summer occasion (4th of July, perhaps?) and is incredibly simple to put together. This is just the thing to bring to the neighbor’s barbecue or the family picnic….it’s an eye-catcher even before you take the first bite. I promise, there will be praise and accolades. You will be recognized as the amazing Nordic Kitchen God or Goddess that you are. While it’s best served chilled on the day it is made, I will happily eat the leftovers of this tart for at least a day or two afterwards, oftentimes as an unconventional breakfast.

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Summer Skyr Tart with Fresh Berries

Summer Skyr Tart with Fresh Berries

A fresh, easy and gorgeous summer berry tart with a skyr and cream cheese filling.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes plus cooling time
  • Yield: one 9-inch tart 1x
  • Category: dessert, fika
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Icelandic
Scale

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

⅓ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon fine salt

½  cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½ inch pieces

 

For the Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup skyr (Icelandic yogurt), set at room temperature for about an hour

¼ cup sugar

4 cups mixed strawberries, blueberries and/or blackberries

¼ cup strawberry natural fruit spread or jam

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Process flour, sugar and salt together in a food processor until just combined. Scatter butter pieces over the top.  Process until mixture has a sandy texture, about 12 long pulses. Turn dough out into a 9 inch round tart pan with a removable bottom.

  2. Press dough into an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan creating a crust.  Flour the bottom of a metal measuring cup and press it over the bottom and sides of the crust to help even everything out.  Freeze tart shell for 15 minutes.

  3. Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork.  Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.  Check on the crust occasionally to ensure that it isn’t puffing up. If it is, gently press it down with a fork or wooden spoon.  Allow tart shell to cool completely in the tart pan.

  4. Make the filling:  Combine cream cheese, skyr and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Mix on medium speed until filling is fully combined and slightly increased in volume, about 3 minutes.

  5. Transfer filling to cooled tart shell (continue to keep the tart shell in the pan. The crust can be delicate and the pan will help support it while you are going through the process of filling it).  Even out the filling with an offset spatula.  

  6. Warm jam for about 30 seconds in the microwave until it becomes liquid.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer. In a large bowl, gently toss mixed berries with strained jam.

  7. Carefully spoon berries on top of tart filling.  Lightly cover with plastic wrap or invert a plastic container over the top of the tart and chill for at least an hour or up to 6 hours. Leave in pan until just before serving.

Notes

If you can’t find skyr, Greek yogurt can be used in its place.

Keywords: summer, berries, tart, skyr, cream cheese, fruit tart, fresh, easy

Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones

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Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones

Better Together

My original plan for this recipe was rhubarb rye scones.  No strawberry, just rhubarb.  It seems that whenever I make something with rhubarb, strawberries are there, too.  Couldn’t rhubarb just have its moment in the sun all on its own?  I played around with the recipe for a few days and made a few batches of scones that were okay but that I didn’t really love.  The trouble is that rhubarb by itself, without the assistance of a lot of sugar (and/or strawberries), can be aggressively sour.  So theses rhubarb-alone scones required copious amounts of sugar in order to make them tasty, defeating my desire for a not too sweet scone.   By Wednesday I was ready to admit that as hard as I might try to fight it, strawberry and rhubarb were meant to be together in this recipe.

And then I pulled out my copy of Kim Boyce’s brilliant book, Good to the Grain and found her recipe for Strawberry Barley Scones.  Yes!  This would be my starting point.  I loved the whole concept of what she had created….a half barley flour, half wheat flour scone with a layer of homemade jam baked in the middle.  I could hardly get to the kitchen fast enough to give them a try.

Just out of the oven!

Making a few minimal adjustments to the dough and replacing the strawberry jam with my Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote, I hopefully slid my batch of scones into the oven.  25 minutes later, out came the perfect scone…tender, moist, not too sweet and full of strawberry rhubarb flavor.  Sorry, Rhubarb!  It looks like that moment in the spotlight will have to wait.   You and strawberries are, once again, perfect together.

Tips for Scone Success

Scones are a relatively easy thing to bake, but there are a few tips and tricks that will help your scones turn out perfectly every time:

  • Keep everything cold. This is the number one thing to remember when baking scones. They are very much like biscuits in that you want to cut cold butter into the flour in order to create a flaky, tender texture. I store my barley flour in the freezer which not only helps keep it fresh but also helps the scone dough stay nice and cool.
  • Be organized and work quickly. This is all in pursuit of keep things cold. Have your ingredients and equipment prepped and ready to go, and store all cold ingredients in the refrigerator until you need them.
  • Do not over process the butter. There should be some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining once you are done processing the butter and flour together. This helps to contribute to the tender, flaky texture of your scone.
  • Do not over work the dough. After adding the wet ingredients to the dry, just mix everything together until it is just combined. The dough will look shaggy which is exactly what you want. You can give it a couple of kneads with your hands to help bring it all together and the go ahead and pat it out into circles from there.
  • Flour your work surface and use a dough scraper. The dough will be sticky. Make sure your work surface is generously dusted with flour, and dust the tops of the dough circles with flour as needed when you are patting them out. Use a dough scraper or thin metal spatula to help release the dough from the countertop and transfer the scones to the baking sheet. Barley flour has very little gluten so they will be delicate and a bit fragile when you try to move them.
  • Eat them the same day you bake. It’s not that these scones aren’t tasty the next day, but they are best when they are freshly baked. As most things are.
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Strawberry Rhubarb Barley Scones

A tender, delicate scone with a layer of strawberry rhubarb compote in the center.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 scones
  • Category: baking
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons barley flour

1 cup all purpose flour

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon fine salt

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces and chilled

½ cup cold buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup chilled Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

1 tablespoon cooled melted butter

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, barley flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the work bowl of a food processor.  Process a few times to combine ingredients. Sprinkle half of the cold butter cubes over the top of the flour mixture and process until fully combined, about 6-8 long pulses.  Sprinkle the remaining cold butter cubes over the mixture and pulse just until these butter pieces are about the size of a pea, about 6 short pulses.

  2. Transfer mixture to a bowl.  Whisk buttermilk,egg and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture in the center.  Using a rubber spatula, fold everything together until a shaggy dough forms, kneading with your hands a couple of times if necessary to just bring everything together.  Do not overmix.

  3. Transfer dough to a floured work surface.  Divide dough in half. Pat dough out into a two 7-inch circles that are about ¾ inch thick, dusting it with additional flour if necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands as you work.  Cover the top of one circle with Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote leaving a ¾ inch border around the edge of the circle.  Place the other circle on top of compote. Press down slightly to help everything adhere together.  

  4. Cut the dough into 8 wedges, cleaning off your knife or dough scraper in between each cut with a paper towel.  Using a dough scraper or spatula, carefully transfer scones to parchment lined baking sheet (they will be delicate).   Brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Bake 22-26 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Notes

Adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce.

Keywords: strawberry, rhubarb, scone, baking, breakfast, barley

Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart

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Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart
Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart

Finns spend much of the summer at their country cottages, when both garden and wild strawberries are ripe. They serve uncomplicated foods, such as fish chowder made with freshly caught fish from the lake, raw vegetables, and a simply made strawberry pie such as this one.

–The Great Scandinavian Baking Book, Beatrice Ojakangas

Sigh. Doesn’t that quote make you want to pack your bags and head for a summer cottage in Finland? Maybe we can’t do that today, but we can head into the kitchen and make this Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart and perhaps imagine ourselves in a quaint little cottage in Finnish lake country. I can see it now….afternoon coffee and this delicious treat at a little table near the shore of a secluded lake, wildlife all around. And our tart would be made with fresh, wild strawberries we foraged ourselves just that morning.

Imagining I’m in Finnish lake country right now….

Fortunately for us daydreamy types, this recipe is incredibly simple to prepare and does not require any actual foraging (unless you choose to, of course!) I “foraged” for my strawberries in the local Hy-Vee produce section. And yet, this recipe is really something special. A sweet, almond dough surrounds vanilla scented strawberries, and it’s all captured in a tom. I’ve made a lot of strawberry desserts in my time but this one is easily a favorite.

The method is simple: A pat-in-the-pan dough (no rolling), a filling of sweetened strawberries thickened with cornstarch and a crisp, crumbly topping that is actually just a reserved portion of the dough and sliced almonds. Into the oven for 45 minutes and out comes this gorgeous treat. It is best served warm, with coffee of course, on the day it is made, but I’ve had it for breakfast a day or two later and had no complaints. It softens slightly over time but is no way any less delicious.

Filled and ready for the oven!

Good food writing, and good food, has the ability to transport us to another time and space. Let this tart be your passport to Finland for the afternoon, to uncomplicated summer living at a cozy cottage by the lake. I’ll meet you at that little bistro table down by the water for a steaming cup of coffee and a slice of this heavenly tart.

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Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart

Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart

An easy summer tart filled with vanilla scented strawberries and surrounded by tender almond dough and sliced almonds.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes +30 minutes chilling time
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: One 14 x 4 inch tart 1x
  • Category: baking
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Finnish
Scale

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup almond flour

½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into ½ inch cubes

1 tablespoon cold milk

 

For the Strawberry Filling:

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Combine flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in the work bowl of a food processor.  Process briefly to combine. Sprinkle cubes of butter over the top and pulse until mixture has a sandy texture, approximately 12 pulses.

  3. With the machine running, add the milk through the feeder tube. Process until dough just begins to clump together in pieces.  It will seem dry, but when you squeeze the dough in your hand it should stick together.

  4. Press approximately two-thirds of the dough into a 14 x 4 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, starting at the bottom of the pan and working the dough up the sides as you go.  The crust should be about ¼ inch thick. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and reserve for the topping.

  5. Refrigerate the tart shell and the reserved dough for 30 minutes.  (The crust can be prepared the day before. In that case, wrap the tart shell in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours).

  6. Meanwhile, prepare the Strawberry Filling.  Combine all ingredients except almonds in a medium bowl.  Set aside to macerate at room temperature while the dough continues to chill.

  7. Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator.  Fill with the strawberry filling. Crumble the remaining dough over the top in small pieces and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

  8. Place tart pan on a sheet pan and transfer to the oven.  Bake until the tart is golden brown and bubbly, 45-50 minutes.  Let cool slightly before cutting into slices and serving warm. This tart is best on the day it is made.

Notes

Recipe inspired by The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas and minimally adapted from the Spring 2017 issue of Sift Magazine.

Scandinavian Strawberry Cream Cake

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strawberry cream cake
Scandinavian Strawberry Cream Cake

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.

Scandinavian Strawberry Cream Cake
So Summery!

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.

Slice of Scandinavian Strawberry Cream Cake

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.

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Scandinavian Strawberry Cream Cake

strawberry cream cake

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

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

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

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

Krumkake

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Krumkaker with Whipped Cream and Strawberries
Krumkaker with whipped cream and strawberries

What are Krumkaker?

Krumkake is a Norwegian waffle cookie that is pressed inside a decorative iron and then wrapped around a form while it is still hot creating a cone shape. Krumkake actually means “bent cake” in Norwegian. Krumkaker (the plural form) can be eaten plain, or they can be filled with whipped cream or some other kind of sweet filling. They are often served alongside fresh berries in the spring and summer.

If you are of Scandinavian descent, chances are good that you have encountered krumkaker on a Christmas cookie tray at some point in your life. Here in the United States, they are most often made during the holiday season and are a beautiful addition to the Christmas cookie line-up. Delicate and golden with a decorative imprint on the surface, there is no doubt that these cookies have a lot going for them in the looks department.

But sometimes, krumkaker can be ALL looks and no substance. Many of the recipes out there produce a one-dimensional, overly sweet cookie that is drop dead gorgeous but hardly worth eating. When I decided to include a recipe for krumkaker here on the blog, I set out to change that. There’s no reason these cookies can’t be beautiful and delicious.

Krumkaker
Krumkaker

The Importance of Sugar

When I began testing recipes, I immediately began by reducing the amount of sugar. This worked well to a point, but if I reduced the amount of sugar too significantly, the cookies didn’t crisp up as well. I did a little research and as it turns out, the sugar in the batter melts as it is heated during the cooking process but then recrystallizes as the cookie cools creating a crispier cookie. So the sugar was playing more of a role than I realized. In the final version, I was able to reduce the sugar by about 1/4 cup from where I started. Any more than that and I was compromising crispiness which I was not willing to do.

Don’t Forget the Salt

Many of the recipes I came across in my research did not include salt. That explained the one-dimensional nature of many of the krumkaker I had tried. In order to fully experience the sweetness in baked goods, you need the presence of a little salt to balance everything out.

Brown Butter

Finally, I couldn’t resist browning the butter before adding it to the batter. I was going to melt it anyway so why not bring out the butter’s toasty, caramel notes and add just a little more depth to this very basic cookie? This version was the clear winner…..delicate and crisp with all of the good looks you might expect but also toasty and buttery with just the right amount of sweetness.

Krumkake with whipped cream and strawberries
Ready for my close up!

Keeping Krumkaker Crisp

As I mentioned above, having the right amount of sugar in your recipe is crucial to a crisp krumkake. There are a few other details that will also help achieve (and maintain) that delightfully light and crisp texture:

  • Add a little cornstarch. Several of the recipes I came across included a little cornstarch in the batter. When I added a little (2 tablespoons) to my recipe, the krumkaker were noticeably more tender and crisp.
  • Give the batter a rest. Some recipes called for resting the batter before baking the krumkaker. The texture of my cookies greatly improved when I included a short (30-45 minute) rest before baking.
  • Bake the krumkaker until they are nicely browned. If your cookies are pale in color, it’s possible that they haven’t baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. Brown is better.
  • Cool completely on a wire rack before storing. Warm cookies haven’t completely dried out and may still contain moisture. Wait until they are completely cool to seal them in an airtight container.
  • Choose the right storage container. Some people say that you should never store krumkaker in a plastic bag or storage container as it will lead to soggy cookies. I have had this experience as well. I use an old-fashioned cookie tin lined on the bottom with paper towels. I have also read that a glass container works well.
  • Fill them immediately before serving. Filling your krumkaker with whipped cream or some other delightful filling will eventually lead to sogginess over time. It’s best to wait until the last minute to fill them if you want them to retain their crispy texture.

No more, “I’m just here to pretty up the Christmas cookie tray.” These krumkaker deserve year-round cookie status. Give them a try while it’s still strawberry season…filled with whipped cream and served with fresh berries, these cookies make a stunning fika treat or make-ahead spring dessert.

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Krumkake

Krumkaker with Whipped Cream and Strawberries

A toasty, buttery and delicately beautiful cone-shaped cookie.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes resting time
  • Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 and 1/2 hours
  • Yield: About 30 cookies
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic, Norwegian

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons water

¾ teaspoon fine salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

Sweetened whipped cream and fresh strawberries for serving, optional

 

Special Equipment Needed:

Krumkake iron, either an electric model like this one (what I use), or a stove top model

Cone-shaped form (the electric model mentioned above comes with a plastic one, but I like this wooden one)

Instructions

  1. Place butter in a medium skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium low heat, swirling the pan frequently.  Once the butter has melted, continue to cook over medium low, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color.  Don’t walk away from the stove! Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Transfer brown butter to a bowl to cool.

  2. Whisk salt, cornstarch and flour together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

  3. Combine granulated sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined and no lumps of sugar remain.  Slowly whisk in cooled brown butter and vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the mixture is emulsified and cohesive.

  4. Add milk and water and whisk until fully combined.  Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth and no lumps remain.  Rest batter for 30-45 minutes at room temperature.

  5. Working with 1 tablespoon of batter at a time, bake cookies on a krumkake iron, either an electric model or one that goes on the stove, according to manufacturer’s instructions.  It may take a few tries to get the hang of how your iron works so be patient. I like to err on the side of a cookie that is darker in color. They are more crisp and have better flavor.

  6. Remove the hot cookie from iron and place it on a clean kitchen towel.  Quickly, while the cookie is still hot, carefully roll the krumkake around a cone-shaped form.  Use the towel to help start the rolling process if the cookies are too hot for your fingers. The sooner you begin rolling the better.  The cookies will almost immediately start to harden as they cool and become difficult or impossible to roll into a cone shape. Let the rolled cookie rest with the form inside, seam side down on the clean towel, while the next cookie is baking.  Remove the cone form and transfer krumkake to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve.

Notes

Store krumkaker in a cookie tin or glass container at room temperature for 3-5 days.  They also freeze well.

Keywords: Krumkake, cookie, cone

Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

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Spring in a jar

It’s gloomy today and the rain falls steadily as I write. The last of the snow has finally melted and the daffodils are peeking up through the earth. My favorite magnolia tree in the backyard is filled with velvety buds, patiently waiting for her all too brief moment of blossoming. Change is afoot, both outside and in my kitchen as we transition to the early days of spring.

We are a ways out from fresh strawberries and rhubarb here in Nebraska, but the displays in the market tell me that somewhere not too far from here they are already bountiful. I can’t think of a better way to kick off this season of rebirth and renewal than with this Roasted Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote. Think of it as that perfect accessory that you can put with just about anything and elevate it from ordinary to extraordinary. Like a favorite scarf or necklace but edible. A batch of this compote will keep for at least two weeks in the fridge and will cheerfully adorn just about anything you choose to pair with it.

Like Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for breakfast!

You may choose to:

  • Use it in place of jam on your morning toast
  • Slather it on top of rye crispbread with cream cheese for afternoon fika (don’t forget the coffee!)
  • Warm it slightly and spoon it over ice cream
  • Spoon a dollop next to your favorite granola and yogurt (it’s like having strawberry rhubarb crisp for breakfast!)

You get the idea. Enjoy these early spring days, my friends! They are fleeting. Soon it will be hot and humid and we will long for this in between season of fresh earth, cloudy skies and new beginnings.

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Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

A cheerful spring topping for just about anything!

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
  • Category: sauce
  • Method: roasted
  • Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian
Scale

Ingredients

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved if small, quartered if large

2 cups chopped rhubarb stalks, fresh or frozen

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

Pinch of salt

½ vanilla bean

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  2. Combine all ingredients except vanilla bean in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

  3. Using a small knife, slice down one side of the vanilla bean lengthwise so that it opens like a book.  Using the back of the knife, scrape the black seeds from the inside of the split vanilla bean pod and place in the baking dish.  Add the pod as well.

  4. Stir everything together.  Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir mixture.  Return to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes or until fruit is bubbly, extremely soft and falling apart.

  5. Remove the vanilla bean pod.  Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, lightly mash the fruit mixture until it is a jam-like consistency.  Allow to cool. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Keywords: Strawberry, Rhubarb, Compote, Sauce, Jam, Roasted, Nordic, Scandinavian,

Simple Brown Butter Carrot Cake

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easy brown butter carrot cake
Easy, delicious, simple carrot cake

I associate carrot cake with springtime. Even though I can easily buy carrots 12 months out of the year, NOW is when my thoughts turn to carrot cake. Does it have something to do with Easter? Bunnies (and by extension their beloved carrots)? I honestly don’t know, but last week, right on schedule, the craving hit and I set out to develop a recipe for an easy, delicious carrot cake.

Something to know about me as a baker….I lean towards the simple and rustic. You are not likely to find me in the kitchen painstakingly assembling a three-tier layer cake embellished with piped frosting and elaborate decor. While I admire this kind of work and will gladly eat it, it’s just not my personal style. I like a cake that is easy to put together for an afternoon fika treat, something I can pair with a strong cup of coffee around 4 pm without having to do too much planning ahead.

Something to know about me as a carrot cake lover….I like to keep it basic. Just carrots, spices and that tangy cream cheese frosting. You can keep your pineapple, your coconut, your chopped nuts. I want a carrot cake that is the essence of simplicity. When I began developing my own version, I started with a recipe for Danish Carrot Cake from the Scandinavian baking bible, The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas. It was an all butter recipe, which seemed like a good idea (many carrot cakes are made with vegetable oil rather than butter), and it was a simple 8 inch square cake that looked like it would come together quickly. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. Pale in color, light on carrots and spices, it hardly seemed like a carrot cake. Back to the drawing board.

I began researching why so many carrot cake recipes have oil rather than butter. It turns out that oil has more fat than butter (butter is part water), and the oil gives the cake that moist, almost dense quality we associate with carrot cake. So canola oil in, butter out for this next round. I also doubled the amount of carrots and swapped out a portion of the regular sugar for dark brown sugar to improve color and texture. This version was much better. I was happy with the texture but the cake still lacked flavor. For my next round, I doubled the spices and the salt (the contrast of salt is essential for bringing out the sweetness in baked goods) and swapped out a portion of the canola oil with brown butter. You know brown butter….unsalted butter that has been melted over low heat until it becomes nutty and golden brown? It makes a wonderful addition to baked goods (try it in chocolate chip cookies), and I was hoping that it would add a little richness and flavor without compromising the texture of the cake which had so greatly improved when I swapped oil for the butter. Success! This final version boasts a dense, moist crumb, plenty of carrots and just the right amount of richness and spice. And don’t forget the cream cheese frosting! It’s absolutely essential in my opinion. As is a good, strong cup of coffee to go with it.

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Simple Brown Butter Carrot Cake

easy brown butter carrot cake

A simple, perfectly-spiced carrot cake with luscious cream cheese frosting.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 60 minutes + cooling time
  • Yield: 1 8-inch cake 1x
  • Category: cake, fika
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic
Scale

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake:

¼ cup unsalted butter

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups packed grated carrots (about 8 ounces)

 

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese (½ of a block), room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour an 8 inch square cake pan.

  2. Place butter in a medium skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium low heat, swirling the pan frequently.  Once the butter has melted, continue to cook over medium low swirling the pan frequently until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color.  Don’t walk away from the stove!  Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Transfer brown butter to a bowl to cool.

  3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl.  Whisk together and set aside.

  4. Combine eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined and no lumps of sugar remain.  Slowly whisk in oil followed by cooled brown butter and vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the mixture is emulsified and cohesive.

  5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredient and stir with rubber spatula until just a few streaks of flour remain.  Fold in carrots until mixture is just combined.

  6. Using a rubber spatula, transfer cake batter to prepared pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick poked into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.  Set cake aside to cool.

  7. Meanwhile, make the frosting:  Combine butter and cream cheese in work bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat with the paddle attachment on medium high until fluffy and fully combined, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as necessary.

  8. Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar.  Once it is combined with the butter and cream cheese, add vanilla extract and return mixer speed to medium high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

  9. Once cake has cooled completely, spread frosting on top.  Serve.

Notes

Grate your carrots on the large holes of a box grater or using the grater attachment of your food processor.

If you don’t want to bother browning the butter, you can substitute 1/4 cup addition canola oil for butter.

It’s important that your butter and cream cheese be room temperature it you want a smooth, luxurious frosting.

Keywords: carrots, cake, simple, easy, cream cheese frosting, Spring, brown butter

Dill Caper Butter

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dill caper butter on rye crispbread with egg
dill caper butter

Compound butters are quite simply butter that has been mixed with flavorful ingredients such as fresh herbs, chiles, capers, anchovies, mustard, lemon juice, garlic or shallots. They offer an easy way to infuse a simple meal with complex flavor and require minimal effort.  Wrapped in saran wrap in a cylinder shape, compound butters also freeze like a dream. When you are ready to use it, simply cut off the amount of butter that you need and return the remaining portion to the freezer.

This dill caper butter is one of my favorites.  I love it on a piece of rye crispbread topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg and fresh dill…a quick, savory breakfast or snack that tastes like more than the sum of its parts.  You might also try it on bread of any kind, stirred into a simple bowl of cooked grains, or dolloped over the top of a piece of roasted salmon.  The options are endless!

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Dill Caper Butter

dill caper butter on rye crispbread with egg

Try spreading this savory compound butter on a piece of rye crispbread topped with sliced hard-boiled egg and fresh dill.

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1/4 cup 1x
  • Category: Butter
  • Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic
Scale

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon small capers stored in brine, rinsed and drained and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (it may not need salt because of the capers). Store in the fridge for up to two days or freeze in a wrapped cylinder shape for up to 3 months.  

Keywords: butter, compound butter, dill, capers, Scandinavian, Nordic

Swedish Almond Cake

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swedish almond cake
Swedish Almond Cake

Fika treats do not need to be complicated, but it is nice if they are homemade.  This particular cake is the essence of simplicity, perfect for a busy day when you know you will need a little pick-me-up at 4:00 or so (this is everyday for me).  You can whip this cake batter together by hand in to time at all, no mixer required.  A little less than an hour later, you will be rewarded with a dense, moist almond-flavored cake that needs nothing more than a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a strong cup of coffee to go with it.

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Swedish Almond Cake

swedish almond cake

A deliciously moist almond cake.  Perfect for afternoon fika!

  • Author: Kristi
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12–15 slices 1x
  • Category: Cake, Fika
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic
Scale

Ingredients

You will need a special Scandinavian Almond Cake Pan for this recipe, available at fine Scandinavian stores everywhere or on Amazon.com.  A worthy investment, I assure you!

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons pure almond extract

2/3 cup whole milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray cake pan generously with baking spray such as Pam with flour.  This is important!  The cake is likely to stick to the pan otherwise.  Place prepared pan on a cookie sheet.

2.  Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, almond extract and milk.  Add flour mixture and whisk until mixed well.  Add butter and mix until fully combined.

4.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Place cookie sheet with pan on top into the oven.  Bake for 45-55 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

5.  Let cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving tray.  Let rest another 5 minutes before removing the pan.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Keywords: almond cake, Swedish, cake, fika, Nordic, Scandinavian

Shall We Fika?

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fika

To truly fika requires a commitment to making time for a break in your day, the creation of a magical moment in the midst of the routine and the mundane.

–Fika, Anne Brones and Johanna Kindvall

At its very essence, the Swedish term “fika” (pronounced fee-ka) means to take a break and enjoy a cup of coffee and possibly a delicious baked good to go with it.  Fika can be a noun (it’s time for fika) or it can be used as a verb (shall we fika?).  But to simply call it a coffee break as we understand that term in English would be missing the point.  The tradition of fika runs deep in Sweden.  Life in structured to accommodate fika, even in the workplace, and the expectation of a midday opportunity to stop what you are doing and enjoy a cup of coffee and a treat is something that is anticipated and enjoyed as a part of daily life.  According to Nordstjernan, The Swedish Newspaper of America, most Swedes fika twice a day for an average of 52 minutes in total.  

Fika is not something you do in front of a computer screen or as you scroll through social media on your phone.  It is meant to be a sacred pause in the day, an opportunity to rest and reconnect. If you are enjoying fika in the company of others, consider it a time to relax and engage in face-to-face conversation with your companions.  If you are on your own, simply siting and enjoying your break in silence can be a quiet moment of peace and restoration.  Or maybe you turn to the company of your journal and a pen or an engaging book.   The particulars are entirely up to you…coffee or tea, treat or no treat, alone or with company.  What matters most is that you pause, unplug and enjoy a momentary respite from the day.