Kvæfjordkake ~ "The World's Best"

Let your palette experience the fusion of soft, smooth, crunchy and velevety, all in a go. Who would not want a piece of this amazing Norwegian piece of cake? It is "The World's Best"!


Kvæfjordkake or "The World's Best" was named as Norway's national cake in September 2002. And this, not without a reason. The cake consisting of a rich sponge cake bottom, meringue and almonds, filled with velvety vanilla cream should be more than satisfying to your palette.

Did you know that this cake actually has an own "friends association" called "Kvæfjord cake's friends"? Well, not surprisingly I can understand why.. I had a hard time keeping myself off eating from the cake all the time I was preparing it yesterday. I was pretending to trim the edges to make them more neat, but actually my intentions were not really pious, hehe!

I have made this cake once before, wow I just checked it and I made it for almost exactly two years ago, in December 2009. The recipe seems to differ a little, but I can make sure that both of the recipes are great (apart from the picture quality now and then). If you are using this one, make sure to double the recipe because this cake goes fast!

Makes about 10 servings


I n g r e d i e n t s


Meringue

3 egg whites
130 g sugar


Cake

75 g butter
75 g sugar
3 egg yolks
75 g allpurpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla powder
3 tbsp milk


Topping

55 g almonds, roughly chopped


Filling

1 dl vanilla cream, instant
2 dl heavy whipping cream


Prepare a baking tin about 30 x 20 cm with parchment (waxed) paper and preheat oven at 175C


The Making

Meringue

1. Whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks
2. Add sugar, little at a time until a firm and shiny mixture is formed

Set aside and make the cake batter


Cake

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy, fluffy and pale in color (ca. 5 minutes)
2. Beat in one egg yolk at time, blending well between each
3. Combine flour, baking powder and vanilla powder together in a bowl
4. Add flour and milk alternately starting and ending with the flour (do not over mix, just until the flour is combined)
5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared tray

Now have the bowl with meringue and

6. Spread the meringue evenly on the cake batter in the tray
7. Sprinkle chopped almonds all over


Bake in a moderately hot oven at 175C for about 20 minutes or until the meringue has got some color and the pin comes out dry when pierced through the cake

Let the cake cool in the baking tray for a few minutes


Filling

1. Make the vanilla cream according to instructions on the packet, you need it to be quite thick
2. Whip the cream until it forms medium peaks and gently fold in the vanilla cream


Assembling

1. Divide the cake in two, lengthwise or width-wise
2. Have one of the cake parts on a serving tray
3. Spread the chilled cream filling on the top
4. Cover with the second cake part
5. Serve immediately or chill before serving

Sugar Cookies & Gingerbread Cookies ~ Winter Workshop # 1 & 2

Baking together is always nice.. especially baking cookies together in winter times; cold and dark nights and the lovely smell of freshly baked cookies! So rewarding!

Winter Workshop # 1


Sugar Cookies

My first winter baking workshop with my cute little nieces! Baking with kids is great quality time which gives you a lot! Kids are usually very enthusiastic when it comes to baking and they want to do everything by themselves, and it must be a joyous moment for them to eat cookies and stuff they know they have made or participated in making. And it is a nice break for them from the TV, cartoons and PC, allowing them to be productive and creative.
This workshop was held at my sisters house. She prepared the dough for sugar cookies which me and my nieces was going to roll, shape, cut, bake and decorate! We shared a great time together and it was good to eat the cookies afterwards! The recipe of these sugar cookies is very good, I might post it up some other time. For now, enjoy the photos!

When having baking workshop with kids, the goal is not to make the most prettiest and perfect cookies, but rather focus on the unity and the joy it gives.


Cutting out heart shaped cookies..

My youngest niece on 1 1/2 years also wanted to participate.. wonder what she is cooking together or.. maybe apart..

My oldest niece in action.. wanted to do everything her way.. "but this is how we do it at the kinder garden", hehe.. so cute!

She was doing it pretty well.. rolling the dough and cutting all by her self only being 5 years old..

Cutted cookies on baking sheet..

Mmmmmm, freshly baked sugar cookies right out from the oven, nicely raised!

Time for decorating.. icing sugar frosting, shredded coconut and chocolate..

And there you have.. a nice yellow iced heart..

The sugar cookies turned out pretty good in taste!

The stupid foreign bought food colors added so dark color to the icing even though I just had a tiny pinch of them.. was thinking of cute pastel colors, but these will do for now..

Want a bite of this pink heart? <3

Winter Workshop # 2


Gingerbread Cookies

So, as I had promised my niece on the last baking workshop, we had another one this weekend at my home. This time we had decided to give gingerbread cookies a go. Gingerbread cookies with white icing and loads of colorful smarties on! This workshop went good, but I did not have time for icing of the cookies so my niece did this part very well on her own; loads and loads of icing on each cookie and loads of smarties thereupon. She would most probably just lick the icing and eat the smarties letting the remaining cookies for others! My niece had already put all of the iced cookies in her box to take with her home, so I did not get chance to take any photo of the iced colorful cookies. But I have to say that ginger cookies tastes pretty good along with smarties!

I had prepared the gingerbread cookie dough night before, but it was so late that thing was not really going my way. Anyways, I managed to make some sort of dough that looked like gingerbread cookie dough, and it should be a reminder for myself to not do anything late at night when I am really tired, because I loose the focus and things usually go wrong when in hurry. I did not make a lot of dough, it was just enough for about one tray of cookies and the important part was the though of doing something productive and creative together with my niece, having a nice time. So no recipe of these gingerbread cookies.. I do not feel it is worth sharing as it did not work for me, but I guess it is a great recipe if things are going the right way!

Cutted gingerbread cookies..

Do not ask what the toothpicks are doing there .. :s

Nicely cut heart and star shaped cookies!

And almost ready to bake!

Freshly baked gingerbread cookies right from the oven.. without any decoration..

More of these baking workshops? Of course! I can not wait for the next one.. we might make jelly snails.. let us see!

Love you both my cute little sweethearts <3 <3 <3 Hugs and kisses!

Salt Caramels ~ Winter Treats 1

Chewy dewy caramels with a touch of salt and dark chocolate. Wonderful winter candy and give away gift!


Cold and dark winter nights wants me to make stuff I usually do not make; like caramels, fudges, candies and heavily iced ginger cookies with colorful smarties on. I know there are plenty of caramels to choose between in the shops, but there is something goodilicious about homemade caramels and candies. And imagine all the love you add in the candies which you do not find in the mass produced stuff.

I will try to post up some delicious Winter Treats during the winter season; cute, little, sweet goodies that can bring up your mood in an instant! These Salt Caramels are the first in the instant comfort Winter Treats session.

I wanted to try the tempting Creamy Caramells by Passion4Baking, but I did not have brown sugar available so I ended up with a recipe for Homemade Sea Salt Caramels from Taste of Adventure. They looked delicious and the extra touch of salt just sounded so good in combination with the sweet. I just love the sweet and sour or salt and sweet combination, be it chocolate, cookies, candies, chips or yeah you name it. So this combination could most probably not go wrong for me.

Well, I did not have any sea salt so I just added regular table salt which I think worked fine, but I guess the sea salt might add an extra touch to the taste. I coated mine caramels with dark melted chocolate, sprinkled a little more salt on and garnished them with crushed cashew nuts. Mmmmm, lovely soft caramels, maybe a little more salt would even do better (I was afraid to add too much).

These Salt Caramels are a nice treat to give away to someone. Put them in a little cute box or wrap them in waxed paper, cover with cellophane and add a cute ribbon around.


About 30 caramels (recipe adapted from Taste for Adventure)

I n g r e d i e n t s

2,4 dl heavy whipping cream
70 g butter, cubed
1 tsp salt (sea salt)
240 g sugar
0,6 dl corn syrup
2 tsp glucose, liquid (optional) *
0,6 dl water

* Adding liquid glucose will prevent the crystallization of sugar, but it is not necessary to use it

Line an 8-by-8-inch or 20 x 20 cm baking pan with parchment paper and brush or spray lightly with oil and set aside


1. In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream, butter and salt to a boil

2. Remove from heat and set aside

3. In a large saucepan over high heat, stir together sugar, corn syrup, glucose and water until sugar is dissolved

4. Boil without stirring (you can gently swirl the entire saucepan occasionally to ensure even heating)

5. Let the mixture turn to a light golden caramel color

6. Lower heat to a simmer and very carefully pour cream mixture into large saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a temperature of 250 degrees F or 120 C, or "firm ball" stage

7. Pour mixture into baking pan and allow to cool completely, about 2 hours. Half an hour after pouring, sprinkle caramel with more sea salt as desired

Remove caramel from baking pan by lifting the parchment paper and, using a very sharp, warm knife, cut the caramel into 1-inch squares. Wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, twisting two ends to seal

* Dip the caramels in melted chocolate, let cool and garnish with crushed cashew nuts or sprinkle some salt


Mmm, caramels..

A big bite!

Great combination of caramel, salt and dark chocolate, topped with crushed cashew nuts!

Coconut Macaroons ~ A Give-Away Gift

Coconut macaroons - Soft and moist, crunchy munchy coconut treats dipped in dark chocolate. These delightful goodies are perfect for tea or coffee on winter evenings. Or spread joy by giving them away.

10th December 2011. The days are passing so fast, it scares me sometimes. Before one has time to take a look at the time, a month has passed. The ten days of December have gone so fast, but I have to say I am loving this December. I know snow belongs to December and the Christmas spirit, but the weather is so lovely and mild, just as I like it. The feeling of autumn has not left yet and believe me the atmosphere can be magical at times. Imagine walking in the morning at 7 am with semi-dark sky, being ready to reveal the first threads of light with all the Christmas lightning around you and an amazing chilly wind which is just as cold to make your nose the slightest pink. Thursday 1st December, I felt like walking forever in the streets of Gothenburg. What a wonderful feeling, almost impossible to describe with words. An unforgettable start of December!

Well, snow has left its mark in the month of December, but for a little while though. White crystals were descending upon my city on last Monday, 5th December, more like slush then real snow. But there is perhaps a little Christmas spirit?

My mom loves these coconut macaroons, and she was asking me to make these for several days so I decided to make them last week. Right when I was about to do the photo shooting, it started to snow heavily, like this watery slush snow so I rushed to take the photos and went inside. It is quite difficult to take good photos here in Scandinavia at winter times as the days are so short. It starts getting dark outside already before 3 pm and this is the reason why I have not step-by-step pictures in all of my recently added posts. Indoor lightning is absolutely not my thing, I think it makes the food look dead and gray.

Anyways, these coconut macaroons are amazingly good! They differ from the usual macaroon recipes which takes base in egg whites only. This recipe adds an whole egg in addition to vanilla cream which gives these macaroons a delicious taste and a moist texture. And the best thing; they are ready in no time.
I definitely recommend this recipe which I have found in one of my favorite baking books "Gyldendals Store Bakebok".

These coconut macaroons are a perfect giveaway, especially now in Christmas times. Just garnish them with chocolate and wrap them in transparent cellophane and tie around a cute ribbon, preferably in red. A joy to give, a pleasure to receive!

Makes about 20 medium sized macaroons

I n g r e d i e n t s

1 dl vanilla cream, instant (or cooked)
200 g coconut, shredded
1,5 dl sugar
1 egg, medium to large

Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven at 200C

1. Have all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl
2. Mix the ingredients quickly together using a whisk or with hands
3. Form it to peaks or tops with your hands and put them on the baking tray

Bake in a hot pre-heated oven at 200C for about 10 - 12 minutes or until golden on the edges

Remove from the baking tray while they are still hot and let cool on a rack

* These coconut macaroons can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container
* Add a slice of white bread with the macaroons so that they will stay soft and moist

Garnish the bottom with melted chocolate or pipe it on top


Coconut macaroons..

..dipped in chocolate

or garnished with melted and piped chocolate

Gives a good winter mood, don't they?