Native to the marshlands, boreal forests and coastlines of the Northern Scandinavia, delicious and nutritious cloudberries are often called the “gold of the Arctic.” They grow almost exclusively in the wild making them a rare and prized commodity.
Fortunately, we don’t have to trek to the marshes of Northern Europe to find cloudberries. Cloudberry preserves are readily available in many grocery and Scandinavian specialty stores and are a very delicious alternative to the real thing.
What to make with a jar of cloudberry preserves? Cloudberry Cream, of course! Softly whipped cream flavored with vanilla and cloudberries is a heavenly treat you can enjoy on its own or as a filling or accompaniment to cookies, cakes and other sweets. Ready to give this easy and exotic Cloudberry Cream a try in your own kitchen?
Why This Recipe Works
- This Cloudberry Cream contains a combination of whipped cream and sour cream as the base. This gives the recipe a little more heft than whipped cream alone and also brings a welcome tang which perfectly offsets the sweetness cloudberry preserves.
- The preserves are heated and strained, removing any objectionable seeds. Cloudberries have seeds much like raspberries do, and if you fold in the preserves without straining them first, the silky texture of the cream will be studded with the occasional hard seed. Strained preserves bring big cloudberry flavor and a silky smooth texture throughout.
- Just a hint of vanilla really compliments the flavor of the cloudberries. Cloudberries and vanilla work very nicely together, especially in a simple cream recipe like this one.
What Makes This Recipe Nordic/Scandinavian?
Cloudberries are native to northern Scandinavia where they are considered a delicacy. You will find cloudberries or cloudberry jam or preserves in recipes throughout the Nordic region. In Norway, Cloudberry Cream or Multekrem is a traditional Christmas dessert.
Ingredients
We have a short list of ingredients here, the star of the show being the Cloudberry Preserves. You can find cloudberry preserves or jam in Scandinavian specialty stores or on Amazon.
Special Equipment Needed
- A stand or handheld mixer makes quick work of whipped cream, but you can also whip cream by hand with a metal whisk (be prepared for an arm workout should you decide to go this route!)
How to Make This Recipe
- Heat the cloudberry preserves in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until they are almost in a liquid state. Strain them through a fine mesh strainer and into a clean bowl. Discard the seeds and set the strained preserves aside to cool to room temperature.
- Combine the cream, sour cream and vanilla in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on medium high speed until medium peaks form.
- Gently fold in the cooled, strained cloudberry preserves with a rubber spatula.
That's all there is to it!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to let the preserves cool completely after straining. You don't want to add warm preserves to your cold whipped cream as it may cause it to deflate.
- Don't over whip the cream. Cream can go from soft and luscious to stiff and over whipped in no time, especially in a powerful stand mixer. Keep a close eye on it while it is whipping and stop the mixer frequently toward the end of the whipping process to see if the consistency is where you want it to be.
FAQs
Cloudberries are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron and magnesium and are exceptionally nutritious. The Vikings actually brought preserved cloudberries with them on their long sea journeys because their high levels of Vitamin C prevented scurvy.
Fresh cloudberries look like golden raspberries and have a sweet/tart flavor. Check out this article for a comprehensive discussion of all things cloudberry!
Cloudberry cream is best the day it is made. Feel free to make it a couple of hours ahead of time, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
How to Serve Cloudberry Cream
Cloudberry cream is delicious on its own, or consider using it as a filling for Norwegian Krumkake, Scandianvian Almond Tarts (pictured above), or a Swedish rulltårta cake. You can also use it in place of traditional whipped cream alongside a simple cake like Swedish Almond Cake or Cardamom Cake. Or dollop it on top of a batch of Nordic Buttermilk Waffles or Swedish Pancakes. The options are endless!
Related Recipes
Looking for more creamy Scandi-inspired recipes? Give these a try!
Recipe
Norwegian Cloudberry Cream (Multekrem)
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cloudberry preserves or jam
Instructions
- Heat the preserves in a saucepan on the stove over low heat or in the microwave until they are just beginning to bubble. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, leaving the seeds behind in the strainer. Set the strained preserves aside to cool to room temperature. Discard the seeds.
- Combine the cream, sour cream and vanilla in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment to whip on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold the cloudberry preserves into the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Be sure to let the preserves cool completely after straining. You don't want to add warm preserves to your cold whipped cream as it may cause it to deflate.
- Don't over whip the cream. Cream can go from soft and luscious to stiff and over whipped in no time, especially in a powerful stand mixer. Keep a close eye on it while it is whipping and stop the mixer frequently toward the end of the whipping process to see if the consistency is where you want it to be.
- This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of Cloudberry Cream. Should you plan to serve it on its own as a dessert and want larger portions, consider doubling the recipe.
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Norwegian Cloudberry Cream and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Kristi says
Cloudberry cream is a simple Scandinavian dessert that is deliciously light and can be made ahead. So good!