Swedes sure love their fika, which is a coffee break enjoyed with a sweet treat. While Swedish buns (like these cardamom buns) and cake (like silviakaka) are popular for fika, you’ll also see Swedish cookies served for fika as well. In fact apparently before fika became an established tradition in Sweden in the early 20th century, Swedes practiced kafferep, where women would gather, often to repair clothes, and enjoy seven types of cookies. Any more than seven cookies would be showing off, while fewer would be stingy. Norwegians also practice this tradition with their seven types of cookies for Christmas.…
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Continue ReadingTemperatures in Bergen have dropped and I am now fully in autumn mode. This means that I’ve pulled all my wool sweaters out of storage, I’m considering making a fire in my fireplace tonight, and I’m even beginning to think about Christmas baking. I know it’s still a while until…
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Continue ReadingÆbleskiver (also written as ebelskiver or ebleskiver in English) are spherical pancake-like snacks popular in Denmark, especially around Christmastime. They’re incredibly light and fluffy, usually sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with raspberry jam. We make them in Norway as well and call them munker, but they’re considered a bit…
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Continue ReadingWith long, dark winters, I suppose it’s no surprise that baking is such an important part of Norwegian culture. What better to do on a snowy day than stay inside and bake up something delicious? Actually if you ask a Norwegian that question, they’ll probably say taking their cross country…
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Continue ReadingAfter making the very complicated (and very delicious) Sarah Bernhardt cookies last week, this week I was in the mood for something more simple. Norwegian butter cookies, or serinakaker, are incredibly simple but oh so delicious. I brought these to a film night with my friends and they were quickly…
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Continue ReadingSarah Bernhardt cookies are perhaps my favorite Scandinavian cookies. I love any almond based dessert, and Sarah Bernhardt cookies feature the perfect combination of a soft almond cookie topped with a velvety milk chocolate cream dipped in dark chocolate. Well, it’s an almost perfect combination. I love the history of…
