Cakes & Desserts

Havrebollar / Oatballs (Lincals Style)

Those of us who grew up in Sweden remember these mild, creamy bites sold in most kiosks and cafés. In contrast to the more flavorful chocolate balls, they have a mild flavor of vanilla, coconut and barely there cocoa. Grinding the oatmeal and beating the mixture for several minutes results in the distinguishable soft, airy consistency.

Polkagrisar / Peppermint Candy

Making candy is not difficult as long as you take care not to burn yourself on the hot sugar solution. The red and white peppermint flavored candy is a classic, but my favorite is ginger! With heat resistant silicon gloves and a silicone mat it is easy and fun to create your own colorful candy.

Meringue

This basic recipe works for both crisp and soft meringue. In Sweden we normally make French meringue and it works well for baking, but if you plan to make buttercream you need Swiss or Italian meringue since they are more stable.

Sockerkaka (Basic Vanilla Cake)

In may seem odd to some, but Swedes often eat cake without icing or buttercream. In my opinion, this moist, airy and delicately flavored cake needs nothing but a good cup of coffee or tea – or why not a glass of ice cold milk? A superb base recipe for all your muffins, cupcakes and cakes!

Chocolate Frosting

This recipe came about when I was making chocolate icing and forgot to melt the butter first. I love a hint of coffee but it can be skipped. Not as sweet as American frosting, this has a rich chocolate flavor and smooth, buttery consistency.

Lemon Meringue Pie

This is a classic dessert and it is easy to understand why: deliciously sweet and sour lemon curd inside a flaky pie crust topped with soft, airy meringue. Yum!

Lemon Delicious Pudding

This self-saucing pudding was introduced to me when I was an exchange student in Australia. I prefer baking it in a larger dish, which results in more sauce at the bottom, then serve it with vanilla ice cream. For formal occasions I use individual ramekins instead.

Paskha (Russian Easter Cheesecake

This easy, no bake cheesecake is traditionally served during Easter in Russia and other Slavic countries. It is quick to make but takes a few days to mold in the refrigerator. It is definitely worth it!