Some family friends were in Bergen last week, which was of course a great excuse to bake a cake. But I was also leaving for Portugal in a few days, so I didn’t want leftovers. So I decided to make my favorite Norwegian apple cake, which is small enough to finish (almost) in a sitting with a few cups of coffee. Plus now that it’s August I’m already getting in the autumn spirit (well, aside from this very summery trip to Madeira). And autumn means apples! Since I had leftover almond paste...| Scandinavian Cookbook
It’s been so hot in Bergen this summer that I haven’t felt much like baking lately. But earlier this week I invited some people over and wanted to serve them an easy sweet treat, so I opted for one of the quickest and most delicious cookies I know: mandelsnittar, or Swedish sliced almond cookies. I love making Swedish sliced cookies because they’re so fast and easy. You don’t even have to form the cookie dough into individual cookies. Instead you simply roll the dough into two long lo...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Some of my favorite sweet treats to buy at bakeries in Norway are mazariner, which are simple but oh so tasty almond tartlets with a shortbread cookie shell and almond filling. Apparently mazariner originally come from Sweden, so you might now them as Swedish almond tarts, but they seem to be just as popular here in Norway. They’re sort of like marzipan tarts, though while I’m not a huge fan of marzipan I absolutely adore these. If you like other almond baked goods like almond croissants ...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Spread each lefse with a thin layer of the kling mixture. Then fold two edges of the lefse into the center and fold in the other edges so you get a rectangle. Then cut triangle shapes from another lefse to fill in the gaps of the rectangle (see video). Spread another thin layer of kling and fold the lefse in half so you have a long, thin rectangle. Cut into smaller rectangles and serve.| scandinaviancookbook.com
After making Telemark lefse I still had a lot of semolina left over, and my first thought was that I should make semolina porridge (semulegrynsgrøt or simply semulegrøt in Norwegian). Norwegians love their porridge, which I guess makes sense for a cold country. Apparently at one point Norwegians used to eat more porridge than bread. You’ll see lots of different kinds of porridge in Norway, including rice porridge and sour cream porridge, which are more common on special occasions, and the...| Scandinavian Cookbook
I had been waiting until Easter to bake a suksessterte (also called suksesskake and gulkake, or success cake in English), mostly because it’s a festive yellow, but I couldn’t wait any longer so I made it a few days early. But this way you’ll have time to get the ingredients to bake your own suksessterte for Easter! Norwegians will also bake this for any kind of celebration throughout the year, including weddings, confirmations, and holidays. Suksessterte is a Norwegian almond cake with ...| Scandinavian Cookbook
I grew up in the US, but my mother is Norwegian so my family would often spend our summer vacation in Norway, which I loved. Well of course I loved it, because I eventually moved to Norway. I loved the mountains, I loved the fjords, I loved my grandparents’ dog Petrushka, but most of all I loved the Norwegian heart waffles, or vafler in Norwegian. In fact if you took away the mountains, fjords, and dog, I think Norway might still have been my favorite place in the world for the waffles alon...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Probably one of the most beloved Norwegian foods is our brunost, or brown cheese. Norwegians love to eat this sweet, fudgy cheese on top of bread or waffles, and we also use it for added flavor in stews and sauces. And brown cheese also happens to be delicious in white chocolate chip cookies! This is a classic white chocolate chip (or chunk) cookie recipe with the addition of small cubes of brunost. You can buy Norwegian brown cheese on Amazon here. While not technically a cheese brunost is m...| Scandinavian Cookbook
As apple season continues here in Norway, my friends keep bringing me apples that their families have brought them from Sognefjord. Last week I made Norwegian cinnamon buns with apple sauce filling, and this week I decided to make one of the most delicious cakes I know: Norwegian apple cinnamon cake with brown cheese frosting. I love using Norwegian brown cheese in desserts because it’s already quite sweet and has such a distinct taste that it adds an immediately recognizable Norwegian twis...| Scandinavian Cookbook
When I was growing up, I would visit my grandparents in Norway every summer. And each summer I would optimistically try a slice of brunost, or Norwegian brown cheese, hoping that this was the year I finally loved it. And I have noticed with foreign visitors that Norwegian brown cheese is one of those foods people tend to love or hate. Most people do love it, but I’ve seen a few people quite shocked by the taste. It’s unique! But if you don’t immediately enjoy it, I’m happy to report ...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Spring is in full bloom in Bergen now and I was in the mood for a fresh and summery dessert, so I decided to make the easiest lemon cookie recipe I know. Citronsnittar, or Swedish lemon slices, are quick and easy cookies to make, especially as you don’t even need to shape the dough into individual cookies. Instead, you simply roll the dough into long logs and slice it into cookies after it’s finished baking. This time I topped them with coarsely chopped white chocolate and wow did these d...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Did I just buy a big block of Norwegian brown cheese so that I can add it to all my baked goods this Easter? Why yes I did. Because one thing I’ve learned in my decade living in Norway is that just about every dessert tastes better with brown cheese. While not technically a cheese, brunost is made from leftover whey from the cheesemaking process. The whey is boiled down until it caramelizes. In Norway you can buy brown cheese made both from cow’s milk and from goat’s milk, with slightly...| Scandinavian Cookbook
If you’ve ever been to Norway I’m sure someone has excitedly offered you brunost, or brown cheese, to try. And while you probably loved this sweet, fudgy cheese, there’s also a chance you thought it was too strange too eat. While not technically a cheese brunost is made from leftover whey from the cheesemaking process. The whey is boiled down until it caramelizes. In Norway you can buy brown cheese made both from cow’s milk and from goat’s milk, with slightly varying flavors. And wh...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Yesterday was my friend’s mom’s birthday and so of course I offered to bake a cake! All I was told is that she likes chocolate, so I made the best, most chocolatey cake I know: kladdkaka with a dark chocolate and coffee ganache. Kladdkaka, or sticky chocolate cake, is a simple dense chocolate cake that is crispy on top and gooey on the inside. And then the ganache topping is made with just dark chocolate, heavy cream, and a couple tablespoons of strong coffee (which you can skip if you li...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Since I was a little kid fiskesuppe (fish soup) has been one of my favorite Norwegian dishes. So of course when I moved to Norway as an adult fiskesuppe was already a staple in my repertoire. Fish soup is a Norwegian favorite, and there are so many different versions here. Some are quite complex with lots of ingredients (maybe I’ll share one of those in the future), but this fish soup is simple and easy to whip up on a random Tuesday night. And of course living in Bergen, I eat fish soup at...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Skoleboller, or school buns (also called skolebrød, or school bread) are probably Norway’s most beloved buns, both by Norwegians and international visitors to Norway. Norwegian skoleboller are made with a sweet cardamom dough, filled with vanilla custard in the center, and then coated in icing and dipped in coconut flakes. They’re so popular that they’ve even made it to the Norway Pavilion at Epcot in Disney World! But recently a new version of school bread has taken Norway by storm. L...| Scandinavian Cookbook
After being so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Jansson’s temptation I thought it might be time to try out another classic Swedish casserole dish. I had always heard about flygande Jacob, or flying Jacob, but had never made it myself because to be honest, it didn’t sound appealing to me! Flying Jacob is a Swedish casserole dish from the 1970s made with chicken, bacon, banana, and peanuts and topped with a mixture of whipped cream and chili sauce. It’s one of those quick and ea...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Once a week my friends in Bergen gather for Trashy Tuesday to watch reality tv together. It’s a perfect opportunity for a weekday catchup, and it’s also a perfect opportunity for me to test out new recipes. Often it takes me a few tries to perfect the recipe I want to publish, and it’s always extra helpful to have feedback from other people. This week I decided to make chokladsnittar, sliced Swedish chocolate cookies decorated with pearl sugar. And the feedback was good! Chokladsnittar ...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Last week I wanted to bake something sweet for a TV night with my friends and I didn’t have time to go to the grocery store, so I opted for a simple and oh so delicious favorite: kolasnittar, or Swedish butter cookies. They’re like the vanilla sugar version of another beloved recipe that I shared a couple years ago, chokladsnittar. Swedish butter cookies are quick and easy to make, especially as you don’t even need to shape the dough into individual cookies. Instead, you simply roll the...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Fastelavn in Norway Many cultures celebrate the days leading up to Lent with a big feast or celebration like Mardi Gras, Fastnacht, and Carnival. In Norway and other Nordic countries this is Fastelavn. While the 40-day fast period of Lent largely lost significance in Norway after the Reformation, Norwegians have continued many of their Fastelavn traditions. Norwegians now celebrate Fastelavn on the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before the start of Lent. Kids will dress up in costumes at school,...| Scandinavian Cookbook
My friend Lisa and I spent New Year’s in a cute little cabin up in Northern Sweden. And when I woke up on New Year’s Day to -25°C I decided it would be the perfect day to bake some buns! And since I was in Sweden, I knew I wanted to make Swedish saffron buns. Swedes use saffron in a lot of their desserts, perhaps partly because saffron is cheaper in Sweden than in Norway (of course saffron is never cheap, but it’s so expensive in Norway). This time I decided to make traditional saffron...| Scandinavian Cookbook
I spent Christmas in a lovely little log cabin in Northern Sweden. And when I told my friend Josephine, who is half Norwegian and half Swedish, that I would be in Sweden for Christmas, she sent me a long list of foods I needed to buy at the grocery store, as well as traditional Swedish recipe I could make: And she said that I had to make Jannsons frestelse, or Jansson’s Temptation, for Christmas. Janssons frestelse is a Swedish casserole with potatoes, onions, anchovies (or sprats), and cre...| Scandinavian Cookbook
As a child I was always so excited when my family would spend Christmas with my Norwegian Aunt Hege, because she made the best Christmas cookies. And she’s so much fun and I love her, of course. But also her Christmas cookies are amazing. And my second favorite cookies she made were chocolate risboller. My number one favorite were her lemon sandnøtter. In fact I loved her Norwegianrisboller so much that I remember as a kid asking my mom for Hege’s risboller recipe so that I could make th...| Scandinavian Cookbook
The holidays are extra exciting for those of us who love baking, because we finally have an excuse to make ALL of the cookies. I’ve shared my favorite Norwegian Christmas cookie recipes here. But it’s also a wonderful opportunity to add some special kitchen items to our wish lists – or gift them to people we love. Here are my favorite Scandinavian kitchen essentials that I think would make wonderful gifts! Norwegian Waffle Iron I think most people who’ve tried Norwegian waffles will a...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Ever since I was a little kid Norwegian lefse has been one of my favorite foods, especially when it’s filled with butter and sugar to make kling. And I’m certainly not alone in my love for lefse. Lefse is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread made with flour, butter, cream and sometimes potatoes. Potato lefse is not quite as common in Norway these days, but it is still very beloved in certain regions, with recipes passed down through generations. Potato lefse takes a bit more effort to m...| Scandinavian Cookbook
I first started this blog by working my way through Den Rutete Kokeboken, a classic Norwegian cookbook first published in 1980. This cookbook is full of traditional Norwegian recipes, and still today you’ll find this cookbook in many Norwegian kitchens. I love classic Norwegian food, and so today I’m sharing some of my favorite traditional Norwegian recipes. Rømmegrøt One of my favorite traditional Norwegian dishes is rømmegrøt, or sour cream porridge. Porridge is one of the oldest ho...| Scandinavian Cookbook
It’s finally feeling like summer here in Bergen, which is perfect timing since we celebrated Midsummer over the weekend! Swedes celebrated Midsummer Eve on Friday and Norwegians celebrated Sankthansaften on Sunday, and one dish that featured on many tables was smörgåstårta. Smörgåstårta, or smørbrødterte in Norwegian, is a savory cake made of several layers of different sandwiches and decorated with cream cheese, vegetables, and seafood or cold cuts and cheese. While we call it a ca...| Scandinavian Cookbook
I’ve shared a lot of Norwegian recipes here, and while I love them all, there are definitely some that I make more often than others. While I do enjoy diving into a long, multi step recipe like Sarah Bernhardt cookies, when I’m short on time (or energy) there are some quick and easy Norwegian recipes I’ll opt for instead. Here they are! Eplekake (Norwegian Apple Cake) Eplekake, or Norwegian apple cake, is such a popular cake here in Norway largely because it’s so quick and easy to mak...| Scandinavian Cookbook
My parents were visiting me in Bergen last week, so of course I wanted to bake something special for them. And so I thought of fyrstekake, or prince cake in English, a Norwegian classic that I’ve been wanting to make for a while. Two of my very favorite Norwegian desserts are mazariner and suksessterte, and fyrstekake is sort of like a combination of the two. Fyrstekake is a vanilla lattice pie with a soft almond filling. Prince cake tastes great warm out of the oven topped with whipped cre...| Scandinavian Cookbook
While I was growing up my family spent every summer visiting my mother’s family in Telemark. And every summer I would be so excited to get to indulge in my favorite Norwegian food, including lefse with kling. Lefse is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread made with flour and sometimes potatoes, which is filled with butter and sugar to make kling. When I moved to Norway in 2015 I was excited to live in the land of lefse and kling, but I soon realized that just as the Norwegian dialects spok...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Most Norwegians refer to kvæfjord cake (kvæfjordkake) as simply verdens beste, or the world’s best cake. In fact some of my friends here in Norway didn’t even know that verdens beste is officially called kvæfjordkake. Now personally, if I were to give any cake the title of world’s best cake I would choose suksessterte, but I’ll at least agree that it’s one of the best cakes in the world. And I’ll also add that Kvæfjord is one of the most beautiful parts of Norway, nestled betw...| Scandinavian Cookbook
Norwegians love cake, which is no surprise considering how many incredible Norwegian cakes there are. I’ve shared my favorite Norwegian cakes here. But perhaps the most popular every occasion cake in Norway is eplekake, or Norwegian apple cake. Eplekake is quick and easy to make, and sweet enough to serve as a tasty desert, without being too indulgent. Eplekake is a classic vanilla sponge cake topped with sliced apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Interestingly there are no apples in the cake batt...| Scandinavian Cookbook
I’ve already shared several of my favorite Swedish cakes for fika (the Swedish coffee + cake break), like Silvia cake, kärleksmums, cardamom cake, and tosca cake. But another classic is tiger cake! Tiger cake is a fluffy sponge cake made from vanilla and chocolate batter marbled together, or layered in “tiger stripes.” It’s an easy cake to make, but the tiger pattern and combination of flavors makes it quite special as well. Tips To get a smooth and fluffy batter, run the dry ingredi...| Scandinavian Cookbook
