Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break, with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats (21 page)

In a saucepan, melt the butter; then stir in the milk. Heat until warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C). In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the warm mixture. Stir and let sit for a few minutes until bubbles form on top of the yeast.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the remaining butter and milk, followed by the yeast mixture. Work the dough together well with your hands.

Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead it until smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. The dough should feel moist, but if it sticks to your fingers or the countertop, add a little flour. The dough is fully kneaded when you slice into it with a sharp knife and
see small air bubbles throughout. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and place in a draft-free place to rise for about an hour.

Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and carefully shape each piece into a 12-inch- (30.5-centimeter-) long loaf, about 1½ inches (4 centimeters) thick. Place on the baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about 45 minutes.

While the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

When the loaves have finished rising, bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Maintain oven temperature.

Using a knife, cut both loaves into 20 equally sized slices. Place the slices close together on the baking sheet and toast at 450°F (230°C) until they have a nice golden color, about 5 minutes. If the baking sheet doesn’t fit all the slices, divide them onto two baking sheets. Both sheets can be baked at the same time, but be sure to switch them from upper to lower levels in the oven halfway through. Lower the heat to 200°F (95°C) to dry out the rolls for 20 to 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the rolls in the oven for 4 to 5 hours more until they are dry, light, and crispy.

If you bake these in the evening, you can also leave them in overnight and take them out in the morning. Store in an airtight container.

In a saucepan, melt the butter; then stir in the milk. Heat until warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C). In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the warm mixture. Stir and let sit for a few minutes until bubbles form on top of the yeast.

Once the yeast has dissolved, add it to the remaining butter and milk mixture in a large bowl. Stir in the flours, sugar, and salt and mix well. Work together with a wooden spoon or your hands until you can make the dough into a ball. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and let rise for an hour.

Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Transfer the dough to a flat, floured surface and knead it until smooth and elastic;
if you poke the dough, it should spring back. Separate into 12 to 16 equally sized pieces and roll into round balls. Place the balls on the baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes.

While the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

When the buns have finished rising, brush the tops with the beaten egg.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the buns are golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven and turn up the oven to 480°F (250°C).

When the buns are cool enough to touch, cut them in half, horizontally. This works best with a serrated knife. Place the halves back on the baking sheet, with the cut side up. Put back in the oven to toast until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Serve immediately, or let cool on a cooling rack and store in the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Toast the hazelnuts in a skillet over medium heat until they start to pop and have some color. Let cool; then coarsely chop.

Cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs one by one and whisk to a smooth and even batter.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, anise, and hazelnuts. Fold the mixture into the butter and eggs and mix until well blended. The batter will be sticky.

Shape the dough into 2 logs about 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) long and 1½ inches (4 centimeters) thick and place them on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the logs are baked all the way through and the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and lower the heat to 300°F (150°C).

Let the logs cool for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the cookies diagonally into 18 equally sized pieces.

Lay each piece flat on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn each piece over, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. If the cookies still feel a little soft, bake them a few more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Cut the figs into smaller pieces and place them in a bowl. Pour over the port so that it covers the figs, and let sit for 1 to 2 hours. After soaking, the figs should become a little softer.

Pour the figs and port into a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and slowly cook for about 10 minutes. By this point, the figs should have started to fall apart and the port will have reduced. If the figs get too dry, add a little more port or a splash of water and let simmer a bit longer.

Remove from the heat and let cool. Once it’s cool enough to handle, place the mixture in a food processor. Pulse until you have preserves that are thick, smooth, and spreadable.

Store the preserves in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you are not planning to eat the jam right away, you can also store it in the freezer.