“Fika”: It’s much more than a Swedish word. It’s a tradition central to Swedish life.
And for my Swedish-American family, the tradition of coffee breaks that are really more about the chatting than about the coffee, continues.
It begins with one sentence: “Let’s have fika.” A pot of coffee is made, snacks are prepared and the women in the family gather for a several-hours-long catch-up on family news.
For ideas on what snack to prepare that will go with that pot of coffee during fika, Melody Favish’s cookbook “Swedish Cakes and Cookies” offers nearly 300 recipes for cookies, tortes, cakes and rolls.
Apple Slices
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
7 Tbsp. sitck margarine or butter, softened
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. light cream
Filling: 1/2 cup thick applesauce
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the ingredients, mixing well. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Roll into two 12-inch lengths. Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Make an indentation along the center of each length and fill with applesauce. Bake on the center oven rack for 10-12 minutes. Cut into 1/4-inch-wide diagonal slices while still warm.
MARTA’S CHOCOLATE SLICES
Ingredients:
3/4-cup stick margarine or butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
Brushing and garnish:
1 egg, lightly beaten
pearl sugar
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the ingredients, mixing well. Divide into six pieces. Form into logs. Place on greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake on the center oven rack for around 15 minutes. Cut into 3/4-inch-wide diagonal slices while still warm.
OATMEAL LACE COOKIES
Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. stick margarine or butter
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. light cream or milk
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup or molasses
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients. Heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Spoon mounds onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the center oven rack for around 5 minutes. Let cool slightly. Loosen with a sharp knife. Bend, if desirable.
Meringues
Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Place the egg whites in a dry, grease-free bowl (important for beating). Add around 1/3 cup of the sugar and beat until stiff. Fold in the remaining sugar. Drop, pipe or spread the meringue onto well-greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake on the center oven rack for around 45 minutes, until dry and light.
Lingonberry Spice Roll
Ingredients:
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1-1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. banking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Filling:
3/4 cup lingonberry preserves
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet or 12-inch-by-16-inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper. Beat the eggs and sugar until light yellow and very thick. Combine the dry ingredients and fold into the egg mixture. Spread the batter evenly over the prepared pan. Bake on the center oven rack for around 5 minutes. Turn the cake out onto parchment paper sprinkled with sugar. Remove the paper from the cake. Immediately spread the filling over the cake and roll up. Let cool, seam side down, before slicing.