Monday, April 17, 2017

Norway, Bowling,

There is a story to the recipe below. Probably 60 years ago, we sailed to Norway on my parents' boat. We visited many ports and nowadays I can't tell you exactly where we were when we went looking for Norwegian sweaters. We bought some in a store and the sales girl suggested we might like to go to some local celebration. I don't know what it was about, but we went and had dinner which was reindeer meat followed by  Bløtkake. Matt complains about tough meat, he should have tried that reindeer!! The cake for dessert was absolutely fabulous. We then watched some country dancing which, I'm afraid, underwhelmed us. In fact Norway was somewhat disappointing in that a) it rained a lot, it may not mean much to you, but my mother commented even the Teddy Boys carried umbrellas and b) alcohol was the same price as gold, or maybe diamonds meaning when we went out to eat we couldn't afford to have a drink with our meal. Anyway, I subsequently bought a book called What You Have Eaten in Norway and later made the cake. In fact I made it two or three times. Always with corn starch (corn flour) and it turned out a nice, light, white sponge. Also made it with pineapple - well I have added my recipe. Only trouble is, I have lost the book. I can buy it, but am reluctant to do so, not least because if I do, mine will probably turn up.

Monday was league bowling of course, and although we all four bowled badly, we ended up winning 3/7 which surprised the heck out of me. Of course next Monday is the last day for it to make any difference and then May 1 is our banquet and prize giving. I doubt we will have won anything as we have been in 7th spot for most of the season. Have crept up to 6th, but....

Bløtkake (Norwegian Cream Cake)

Bløtkake, layered spongecake covered with drifts of whipped cream and fruit, is a dessert that Norwegians are passionate and possessive about. It is a traditional sweet finish for any festive meal, whether a long, dark winter lunch or a long, sunlit summer dinner. “Scandinavians really value lingering and feasting at the table,” said Maren Waxenberg, a Norwegian-American cook who lives in New York
City and serves this cake at Thanksgiving.

Cloudberries are a protected crop in Norway and are rarely available fresh in the United States, but raspberries are a good substitute.

FOR THE CAKE:
Nonstick cooking spray
4 large eggs
1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup/120 grams cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
FOR THE FILLING AND FROSTING:
3 cups/720 milliliters whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbs cloudberry, raspberry or blackberry preserves
1/3 cup cloudberry or raspberry liqueur (such as Chambord), or berry juice of your choice
12 ounces/340 grams fresh raspberries or blackberries, for decorating (optional)

1. Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and mist a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer (or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Sift cake flour and baking powder into a separate bowl, then fold into the egg mixture in 2 additions.

3. Pour batter into pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from pan.

4. Make the frosting and filling: Beat whipping cream, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer 1/3 of the whipped cream to a separate bowl and stir in preserves.

5. Use a serrated knife to slice cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Arrange top layer of the cake cut-side-up on a platter. Poke a few holes in the cake layer with a toothpick, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the liqueur or juice.

6. Spread half the whipped cream and preserves mixture over the cake layer, then arrange middle layer on top. Poke holes in the middle layer with a toothpick and sprinkle with another 1/3 of the liqueur or juice. Top with remaining whipped cream and preserves mixture.

7. Arrange the bottom cake layer on top of the stack, cut-side-down. Poke more holes and sprinkle with remaining liqueur or juice. Frost top and sides of cake with the whipped cream, using a pastry bag to pipe on stars or other designs, if you'd like. Decorate with fresh berries.

Servings: 12


Source: JULIA MOSKIN

This, however, is the recipe I made

Bløtkake
Source: What You Have Eaten in Norway


This is a special cake from Norway often used for celebrations.

4 eggs
1/2 lb sugar
4 1/2 oz cornstarch
4 1/2 oz plain flour
1 Tbs cold water
thin cream
sherry
whipped cream
chopped almonds or walnuts
Chopped pineapple
Pineapple slices

1. Whisk eggs together with sugar for half an hour or until the mixture is thick and creamy (or use a mixer). Fold in cornstarch and flour previously well mixed together and finally the cold water. Bake in a slow oven in a round cake tin for 40-50 mins.turn out and cool. Divide the cake in 3 layers, sprinkle each liberally with thin cream to which sherry has been added, or with neat sherry. Between each layer spread a thick layer of whipped cream and either nuts or pineapple chunks. Cover the top and sides with a thick layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream  and decorate with pineapple slices.


Servings: 8


Have a great day
 

24 comments:

  1. OK. I want to see the person who can whip eggs for one half an hour by hand. I have whipped cream or egg whites with a whisk, but no where near 30 minutes.

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    1. Denise, I come from a generation that had to whip stuff by hand and I have certainly whipped for half an hour. I remember making sponge cakes that way. Used to use a spoon not a whisk too.

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    2. I make my sponge cake by using my hands to mix in the whipped egg whites. My mother had a hand egg beater, but can't remember anyone using a hand whisk. Maybe that is what they are referring to?

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    3. I guess we won't get an answer Denise. I recall my mother making a pound cake and getting me to whip the ingredients - as I said, with a wooden spoon.

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  2. What Denise said. I'm using an egg beater.
    Hope that book turns up somewhere.

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    1. So would I these days Alex.

      I hope so too, but am somewhat doubtful.

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  3. That cake sounds heavenly!!!!! My former bosses had friends in Norway so they went over to see them some time in the 90s. I remember almost all their pictures, it was cloudy. my perfect climate!

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    1. It is JoJo, I will have to make it again. I do wish I could find the book though. Not just cloudy, it rained constantly.

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  4. Whale meat was among the things I tried - once! Blotkake - many times. Pickled herring in different sources was a favourite for me.

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    1. I remember eating whale meat in England, but not in Norway Bob. Pickled herring - delicious. The fish were wonderful there especially straight from the markets. Bløtkake is a great dessert.

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  5. You *would* post cake recipes when I finally go on a diet. LOL

    Sorry the trip was not what you'd hoped.

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    1. Sorry about that Melissa.

      Wasn't something I hoped for exactly. My father decided to sail there so we went. He was, after all, taking my home.

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  6. Did you have the book when you moved in?? You never would have lent it to anyone?? Did you have it before you had to pack everything away due to...sorry....bug issues?? If not, I would say buy the book:) the recipe sounds great! I would love to visit Norway but would expect not the greatest weather...just from where they are located

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    1. I think so Birgit just from the fact that I have the recipe on my cookbook problem which I only acquired in the years since we came here. Never moved books during the pest crisis. As for lending, I don't think so, but I have recently discovered the loss of a video and I can only figure I lent it to someone.

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  7. I did that with a book I'd kept for years. I kept misplacing it and then putting it somewhere I wouldn't lose it. Last year I search for it for 2 months before giving up and ordering a new one. Fortunately the old one has never turned up.

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    1. Frustrating isn't it Diane? I keep all my cookbooks on the same shelves so I have no idea what happened to it.

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  8. I've popped by for some inspiration, Jo, and boy I got it. Thank you. I have all those ingredients in house, and so when my husband goes out later, I'm going to enjoy myself and make a Norwegian Cream Cake. I'm a happy bunny. I'll let you know how it turns out :) I hope all is well. Thank you for sharing your story.

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    1. I'm glad to have given you some inspiration Nicola. Which one are you going to make. I think the second one is easiest and I can guarantee it tastes wonderful. Enjoy your baking.

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  9. I'm of the generation who learned to cook by hand whisking cakes so your recipe brought back memories. My mother used a hand egg beater and upgraded to an electric whisk when they became available at a cheap price but at school in Home Economics class we were expected to do it by hand.

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    1. Me too Helen. I remember whipping up cake mixtures with a wooden spoon. It was hard work too.

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    2. Hey Ladies. I learned by hand-whisking as well, and still do it today.

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    3. And you're not in our age bracket either Ivy.

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  10. I love pineapple in cake and I smiled about the teddy bears.

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    1. Not Teddy bears Ivy, Teddy Boys. If you clicked the link you would find out, they were young people who favoured Edwardian (Ted, Teddy) type clothing and wouldn't normally have been seen with umbrellas.

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