Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break, with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats (14 page)

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The pie is done when you can see juice from the fruit lightly bubbling. If the pie starts to get a golden brown color earlier (which can happen after 15 minutes), remove it from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and put back in the oven.

Remove the pie from the oven and let cool.

To make the
vanilla sauce, cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Place in a saucepan together with the half-and-half and cream. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until frothy. Pour over the cooled vanilla mixture. Return to the heat and simmer very carefully at medium to low heat, making sure not to let it boil. Whisk constantly until the sauce begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Cooking longer will make it more of a custard than a sauce. Remove the vanilla bean and let cool in the refrigerator.

Serve the pie with the vanilla sauce, either poured over or served on the side. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days but is best served the day that it is prepared.

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.

Grind the almonds 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 butter into the egg yolk and sugar mixture and whisk together a little longer. Sift the flour and stir it carefully into the batter together with the almonds,
almond extract, and salt. Stir as little as possible to 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. Whisk until stiff peaks form. 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 directly into the baking 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.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool. Once cool, remove the cake from the pan.

To prepare the kinuski, in a saucepan, bring the cream and sugar to a boil; then cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until thick. To test if the kinuski is done, insert a spoon into the sauce and remove. Raise it above the saucepan for a few minutes to let it cool off a bit. The kinuski should have a thick consistency and stick to the spoon, similar to caramel.

Remove the kinuski from the heat and let cool slightly. While it is still a little warm, and therefore runny, pour the kinuski little by little onto the cake. As it gets poured on, it will set and harden a little, so you can keep pouring without the risk of pouring it everywhere. Let cool completely.

Arrange the lingonberries on top of the cake. Then slice and serve.

If you don’t want to use all of the kinuski on the cake, you can store the extra in a glass jar. It’s great as a topping for ice cream or spread on cookies.

Place the raspberries, blueberries, and sugar in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat until it reaches the desired thickness, 15 to 30 minutes depending on the juiciness of the fruit. (To test the consistency, place a small plate in the freezer. Once the plate is cold, remove it from the freezer and drop a spoonful of jam onto it. Let it sit for a few minutes, then push the jam with your finger. If it has gelled and the skin wrinkles, then it is set. If it’s still liquid, continue cooking until you reach the consistency you want.)

Remove from the heat and pour the jam into a clean sterilized jar. Screw on the lid and turn the jar upside down to create a vacuum. Let cool completely. Store in the refrigerator and eat within a month. If you want to store it longer, place the jam in the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch (23-centimeter) round baking pan.

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

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and almond extract until frothy. Pour in the slightly cooled butter and stir until well blended. Sift in the flour and mix until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Pour the batter into the baking pan. Scatter the blackberries evenly over the top. You don’t need to
press the berries into the cake; their weight makes them sink a bit during baking.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top. The cake is done when a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake and let cool before serving.