Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break, with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats (10 page)

Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan until they are slightly browned; then chop them finely by hand or grind in a food processor until coarsely ground.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg and the egg white together with the sugar until frothy. Stir in the slightly cooled butter, then add the almonds and stir to a smooth batter.

Roll out the chilled dough to ⅛-inch (.25 centimeter) thickness and press into the pie pan. It is easiest to roll out the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the batter should be set. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch (23-centimeter) springform pan.

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan until they are slightly browned; then grind them in a food processor until almost finely ground.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and brown sugar until frothy. All the sugar should be dissolved and the batter should have a lighter color. Pour the slightly
cooled butter into the egg yolk and sugar mixture and whisk together. Sift the flour and stir it carefully into the batter together with the hazelnuts, coffee, and salt. Stir as little as possible until you get a smooth, even batter.

In a separate, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites, ideally with an electric mixer. When soft peaks form, add the cane sugar little by little. Mix until the batter forms stiff peaks.

Carefully fold the sugar and egg white mixture into the batter and keep folding until the batter is evenly blended. Be careful not to overstir. Pour the batter directly into the pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the cake starts to get a golden brown color earlier (which can happen after 20 minutes), remove it from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and put back in the oven. This will prevent the top of the cake from burning.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33-centimeter) baking pan.

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together with the sugar until frothy. Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Sift and fold in the flour mixture and keep folding until you have a smooth and even batter. Pour the batter into the baking pan.

Bake for 12 to 17 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool.

To prepare the ganache, heat the cream and coffee in a saucepan over medium heat until the liquid starts to bubble around the edges. Lower the heat and add the chocolate, stirring constantly until melted. Turn off the heat, add the butter, and stir until melted. Let cool for about 1 hour.

Spread the ganache over the cake and top with shredded coconut. Cut into 24 equally sized squares to serve.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Mix the almonds, sugar, and almond extract in a food processor until the almonds are finely ground and the mixture starts to stick together.

In a grease-free bowl, whisk the egg white, ideally with an electric mixer, until soft peaks form. Fold the egg white in with the almond mixture and keep folding with a spatula until it forms an almond paste.

Divide the paste into 20 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to the counter to cool.

To prepare the filling, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or in a clean heatproof bowl placed in a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and egg yolk until the batter is well blended and smooth. Stir in the rum and fold in the melted chocolate until you get a smooth and even batter.

When the cookie rounds are completely cool, spread a bit of the buttercream filling on the flat part of each cookie. Make sure that there is slightly more filling in the middle of the cookie, to form a slight mound. Place the cookies on a plate and then put in the refrigerator or freezer, uncovered, until the filling is stiff, about 15 to 30 minutes.