Category Archives: Norway

Norwegian Kabaret

This dish I learned to make from my mother growing up and it was fun and creative to make. It also required some patience. But coming up with patterns was fun and to see the outcome when it was done. I also loved to eat it. We only made Kabaret for special occations and maybe as a Buffée dish. Kabaret was common food in the 50´s and 60´s and for me even during the years I still lived in Norway during the 70´s and beginning of 80´s. It might be a really retro dish today. Kabaret can be made with so many different good ingredients, and you can get a result that tastes a little different each time. Here are some variations I made.

Fruit and Chocolate Cake with Jelly

Growing up in Norway Cake was always on the menu for various celebrations and occations. And not only one but lots of different cakes. My mother made cakes of all kinds and for all different purposes. A dessert that was very common during my childhood and teenage years was Jelly with vanilla sauce. It was a kids favorite and a modern dessert back than. My mother some times used to combine cake and jelly and made fancy cakes that way for special occations. So this cake is a Fruit and Chocolate Cake with Jelly! And with vanilla filling.

Norwegian “Marmorkake” (Marble Cake)

My mother used to make Marble Cake. I thought it was very impressive when I grew up, how she could make the pattern inside the cake. I cannot remember I have made this since I moved from Norway actually when I was young. So I wondered if it is still being made. As I searched for it I found it is made but referred to as “An Old Fashioned Formkake”. Formkake is a Norwegian term for a lot of coffee cakes that you bake in a pan and than cut in smaller pieces. So this is one out of many. Anyways the marble is what is special with this one. Last night I recreated my mothers Marmorkake.

Norwegian Lefse (Tjukklefse)

Lefse is a traditional kind of flatbread made in Norway. It is used as coffeebread with different fillings. There are so many variations across the country and unique to regions and families. My mother had so many recipes and we used to bake Lefse of various kinds before Christmas. We would make so much it would last throughout the year. I was very little when starting to bake Lefse with my mother. This recipe from my mom is one of the easiest one´s to make, “Tjukklefse” (thick Lefse). It is filled with a spread of butter and icing sugar which is whisked fluffy . Lefse is eaten as a coffee cake.

Norwegian “Fiskegrateng”

“Fiskegrateng” is a dish my mother used to make as an everyday meal to make use of leftovers from fish. It is a casserole with fish, macaroni and Bechamelsauce. It is served with potatoes and carrots and even beetroot and topped with clearified butter or just melted butter. It could also be made with fresh fish. However it was an economical way to use all leftovers and make a new dish. This casserole is really low budget especially if using leftover fish.

Kronprinsesse Sonjas Mandelkake (Crown Princess Sonjas Almond Cake)

This cake is one of the most delicious and festive cakes my mom taught me to bake. It is named after the Norwegian Queen Sonja. The name though of the cake and the recipe is from when she became the Crown Princess of Norway, so the recipe is from about around 1968. And I read it is her own recipe which is the origin for the cake. My mother though has put her own touch to it. And I have always made it the way my mom did, with the marzipan decorations and also the whipped piped cream.

Moms Wheat Croissants with Ham and Melted Cheese

As a tribute to my Mom today I am also giving attention to World Bread Day. I have baked Moms special Wheat Flour Croissants, Restaurant Style. My mothers Wheat Flower Croissants are the best. They are served with ham and cheese and heated for some seconds so the cheese melts. One Croissant is like a whole meal.

Marzipan Cake

The first cake I learnt to bake was the sponge cake. It is probably also the most useful cake I have learnt to bake since it can be used to make all kinds of cakes with various fillings and toppings and building blocks to all sizes of cakes. It is the cake inside the Marzipan Cake. I learnt to make this cake from my mother. I think I was not more than six years old when I started. And the most vivid memory I have is all the times I failed. I also remember the miraculous first time the cake did not sink down in the middle and never ever after. I had mastered the challenge of the sponge cake!