This is the time of year when the leaves of birch trees are beginning to sprout, forming delicate green clusters. When the leaves start to show, it’s time to pick a handful or two to brew a gorgeous tea that tastes of spring.

It couldn’t be simpler and birch leaves are an incredible source for Vitamin C. The flavor is slightly peppery, but really fresh – reminiscent of a green tea. A little dollop of honey adds a lovely balance.

The great thing about birch tea is that you can use the leaves throughout the season, rather than just newly sprouted leaves in the spring. Just take around 3 to 5 leaves for one cup, crumple them in your hand and twist then drop them in a cup, pour hot water over them and steep for a couple of minutes. You can also use fresh birch twigs.

Birch Tea (bjørkete)

Serves 1

• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh young birch leaves
• ¾ cup (180 ml) hot water
• Honey, to taste

In a cup, add the birch leaves and pour the hot water on top. Let the leaves steep for about 10 minutes before straining. If desired, stir in some honey to taste. Enjoy!

Get inspired some more with these spring foraging recipes.

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Foraging for our food is one of life’s great pleasures. There is something romantic about eating what nature provides, especially when you’ve never given it such a thought before. When we take the time to look a bit closer, we discover. What may have seemed like an obtrusive bed of weeds – or perhaps an overly lush landscape – becomes an array of edibles, full of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that our bodies need. Understanding what’s accessible right in front of us is powerful. It opens the doors to endless culinary adventures and incredible taste profiles from sour apple sorrel and earthy nettles to lemony spruce tips and sweet dandelion petals.

In our current situation, it’s even more apparent that having a sustainable food system is a step in the right direction. After all, wild edibles are free, delicious and nutritious. If you’re just starting out, below are some great wild edibles to help you get your bearings while foraging in the spring. If you’re accustomed to foraging, I hope you’ll find inspiration with the accompanying recipes you can find here on the site and from my North Wild Kitchen and Norwegian Baking Through the Seasons cookbooks.

PLEASE NOTE: I touch briefly on some of the more common edibles foraged in Norway in the springtime that are easily recognized and accessible. With any foraging expedition, it is extremely important to be one hundred percent sure that what you are picking is indeed fit for consumption and not dangerous. Some edibles, such as wild garlic, can look like poisonous variations, so always seek out the help of local experts and take caution. Each wild edible provides a myriad of health benefits, but they may not be beneficial for those with certain conditions, allergies and who are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications. As always, moderation is key when consuming anything. Happy spring foraging!  

Stinging Nettles

• Latin name: Urtica dioica
• Norwegian name: Brennesle (stornesle og smånesle)
• Season: Spring to autumn

Why they’re good for you: They’re chock-full of protein and vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, K and several B vitamins, calcium, potassium, and iron.

What you can use them for: Think of nettles like spinach, you can use them in a variety of dishes and for flavoring sauces, marinades and dressings. You can also use them for desserts and for making drinks such as tea, smoothies, and beer.   

Tips: Nettles are best when tender, so pick them in the spring when they are just coming up or as they pop up throughout the summer and autumn seasons before they blossom. Always use gloves when collecting nettles so you don’t get stung and do not eat them raw. Be sure to cook or dry them to destroy the sting.

Storage: Rinse nettles before use. Dry nettles on a tray or by tying the stems into bundles and hanging them upside down in cool place outside of any sunlight until they have wilted. Once wilted, they will lose their sting and you can remove the leaves from the stems. Refrigerate fresh leaves in a bag for 4 to 5 days or freeze for use throughout the year.

Recipe Inspiration:

• Nettle & Honey Cake (Brenneslekake)

• Wild Nettle and Pea Soup (Brenneslesuppe med erter)

• Nettle Honey Oat Bars (havrebar med brennesle)

• Grilled Wild Pizza (Viltpizza på Grillen)

*From the North Wild Kitchen Cookbook: Mini Nettle Pavlovas (Brenneslepavlova) AND Nettle and Honey Cake (Brenneslekake)

*From the Norwegian Baking Through the Seasons Cookbook: Cream Wild Flabtreads with Nettles AND Nettle Milk Almond Tart

Spruce Tips

• Latin name: Picea (picea abies – Norway spruce)
• Norwegian name: Granskudd
• Season: Spring

Why they’re good for you: They are rich in vitamin C, a wonderful welcome after a long winter.

What you can use them for: With a little imagination, they can be used for both sweet and savory dishes. They are commonly used for pickling, infusions and making syrup and jelly.

Tips: Different spruce species present a slightly different taste profile, so taste around to find the ones you like best. The best tips are usually the young ones. When picking, ensure to only pick from mature trees and be mindful of how many you pick and where. Once you remove a tip, the growth for that particular branch will no longer grow outward from that point.

Storage: They freeze well and can be used throughout the year. If refrigerating, it’s suggested to keep a damp paper towel inside the bag to keep them from drying out.

Recipe Inspiration:

• Cured Trout with Spruce Tips (gravet ørret med granskudd)

• Rhubarb Soup and Spruce Tip Ice Cream (Rabarbragrøt og Granskuddiskrem)

*From the North Wild Kitchen Cookbook: Beer-Battered Spruce Tips with Syrup (Granskudd fritert i øl med granskuddsirup) AND Oatmeal with Raw Spruce Tip Granola and Blackberries (Havregrøt med granskuddgranola og bjørnbær)

*From the Norwegian Baking Through the Seasons Cookbook: Spelt and Sour Cream Waffles with Spruce Tip Syrup

Common Sorrel

• Latin name: Rumex acetosa
• Norwegian name: Engsyre
• Season: Spring and summer

Why they’re good for you: Sorrel contains a lot of vitamin C, and has oxalic acid which gives it that citric taste (same as rhubarb). It’s important not to indulge in too much sorrel at any given time, because of the high amount of oxalic acid. But a few leaves here and there really do turn a dish into something special.

What you can use them for: Sorrel has a sour – similar to green apple – flavor making it delightful when raw in salads, used for infusions, and mixed into dressings and vinegars.

Tips: You can forage your own, but you might also find sorrel available for purchase at farmer’s markets and local grocery stores when in season.

Storage: The leaves will last longer washed and pressed between damp paper towels in a plastic container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also dry sorrel to use as an herb, but it will lose some flavor.

Recipe Inspiration:

• Sorrel & Blue Cheese Smørbrød (Engsyresmørbrød med Blåmuggost)

• Grilled Wild Pizza (Viltpizza på Grillen)

*From the North Wild Kitchen Cookbook: Creamy Sorrel Potato Salad (Potetsalat med engsyre)

Dandelion

• Latin name: Taraxacum officinale
• Norwegian name: Løvetann
• Season: Spring to Autumn

Why they’re good for you: Dandelions are highly nutritious and rich in antioxidants. They contain fiber, vitamins A, B, C, K and E and minerals such as iron, zinc, boron, and calcium. They remove toxins from the body, boost the immune system, support healthy digestion and loads more. Truly a superfood.

What you can use them for:  Every part of the dandelion is edible. Young leaves are delightful in salads, the roots can be used in making a tincture as well as coffee and tea. Blossoms are lovely for tea and honey, and the petals can be added to baked goods. Even the unopened buds can be turned into capers. I’m only scratching the surface here though, as there are hundreds of wonderful recipes. You can also use it to make salves, soaps and the like. 

Tips: Only pick dandelions that are in a clean area, meaning no pesticides and herbicides or where animals visit regularly, and not alongside a road.  

Storage: Before using and storing, rinse and dry your dandelions. For young leaves, store them in an open plastic bag with a loose damp paper towel. They should keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days. For freezing, you can use parts of the dandelion or keep whole. They are best used within 6 months. You can also dry the root for use later on.

Recipe Inspiration:

• Dandelion Syrup (løvetannsirup)

*From the Norwegian Baking Through the Seasons Cookbook: Dandelion Petal Honey Shortbreads

Fireweed/Rosebay Willowherb:

• Latin name: Chamaenerion angustifolium
• Norwegian name: Geitrams
• Season: Spring and summer

Why they’re good for you: The plant has long been used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Traditionally, in Norway, the blades were used to make tea for ailments and placed on the back to soothe pain. In folk medicine, the root of the fireweed was cooked with sour cream and oat flour to make a porridge used for gout and external wounds. The plant is a good source of vitamin C and vitamin A.

What you can use them for: The entire plant is edible. In the springtime, the young stalks can be used as you would with asparagus. The blades can be dried and used to make tea. The fresh blossoms can be used to make juice, jelly, syrup and you can add them to baked goods and salads as edible garnishes.

Tips: As the season lingers, the leaves will become tougher, so harvest and eat them in the early spring. The blossoms will bloom into the late summer and it’s best to select young, undamaged ones for use in recipes.

Storage: Wash all the parts you plan on using and air dry before use. You can store fireweed as you would any other salad green in the refrigerator. To dry the leaves and blossoms, lay them out in a single layer for a few days before storing in a sealed container.

Recipe Inspiration:

• Fireweed Juice (Geitramssaft)

*From the Norwegian Baking Through the Seasons Cookbook: Fireweed Collar Cookies (snipp med geitrams)

Wild Garlic

• Latin name: Allium ursinum
• Norwegian name: Ramsløk
• Season: Spring

Why they’re good for you: Wild garlic is known for being anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-fungal, antimicrobial and antioxidant. Wild garlic has been regarded as being effective in reducing blood pressure.  

What you can use them for: All parts of the plant are edible. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and are wonderful in any dish you wish to add an extra garlicky flavor to. Think pesto, sauces, salads, cheese, marinades, butter, oils, and more. It goes wonderful with vegetables, fish and meat.  

Tips: Wild garlic resembles lily of the valley, which are poisonous. To tell the difference, pick a leaf and gently squeeze it, then smell it—it will smell garlicky. One rub of the leaves will identify which it is to help avoid any confusion.

Storage: You can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two or in a glass of water for about 1 week. To freeze, simply wash and dry and place in a freezer bag and freeze. 

Recipe Inspiration:

• Wild Garlic – Soup and Bread with Potatoes (Ramsløksuppe og Ramsløkbrød)

*From the North Wild Kitchen Cookbook: Wild Garlic Soup

*From the Norwegian Baking Through the Seasons Cookbook: Cream Wild Flatbreads with Wild Garlic Sauce

-Foraging resources in Norway: Norges Sopp- og Nyttevekstforbund; and Artsdatabanken.

For all my wild ingredient recipes on the site, head here.

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Rows of purple-pink geitrams, also known as fireweed, rosebay willowherb, and great willowherb, line the landscape at this time of year. Their shoots emerge in the spring and by late summer they blossom. By the autumn, they become tall, wooly-looking stalks of seeds with silky hairs to be spread by the wind before the winter arrives.

Fireweed is one of those incredible wild plants that is both beautiful and edible, but might not get a second glance as it is generally referred to as a weed. Yet, like a phoenix, fireweed rises from the ashes. After a forest fire, they are one of the first plants to return, hence the name fireweed. They are able to quickly colonize an open area; their buried seeds able to germinate after a fire or disturbance in the land. Thus, making them an important part of managing the land and encouraging regrowth and revitalisation.  

The plant has long been used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Traditionally, in Norway, the blades were used to make tea for ailments and placed on the back to soothe pain. In folk medicine, the root of the fireweed was cooked with sour cream and oat flour to make a porridge used for gout and external wounds.

Today, you’ll often find the flowers are used to make saft (juice concentrate) and jelly. They can be dried and used for tea and they are also used in salads and for decorating cakes and desserts. The young shoots (around 20 cm/ 8-inches or less) can be snapped off at the base and eaten raw in salads or cooked as you would with asparagus. The blades/leaves can be dried for tea, added to salads, or cooked as a vegetable. As the plant gets older, the more bitter the blades become.

If you happen to come across this delightful plant with its flowers in full bloom, grab a large bowl and start plucking. I like to start off the flowering season with a batch of saft or juice concentrate. It’s simple and has a lovely floral taste. You can add sparkling water to the concentrate for a more bubbly enjoyment.

Fireweed Juice (geitramssaft)

Makes about 10 ½ cups (2 ½ liters) of concentrate

• 8 ½ cups (2 liters) water
• 6 ½ cups (1 ½ liters) granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice or 32 g (6 teaspoons) citric acid
• 16 cups (300 g) fresh fireweed flowers, rinsed

In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the water, sugar, and lemon juice or citric acid to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, making a simple syrup.

Place the flowers in a large, heat-proof bowl. Pour the simple syrup over the blossoms and give them a good stir. The flowers will lose their color quite quickly. Set aside until cooled. Then cover and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 4 days. You don’t need to stir or anything, you can just set it and forget it.

After 4 days, strain the vibrant syrup concentrate over a cleaned glass bottle or bottles. Use a cheesecloth to catch the flowers and any bugs/debris that might have been on them. Discard the flowers.

When serving, use a 5:1 ratio:  5-parts water to 1-part concentrate. Adjust according to your taste. Swap out the water for sparkling water, if preferred.

The concentrate should last at least a month in the refrigerator.

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By late spring, my watchful eyes are on full alert as I wait for the slightest sign of small buds emerging from the silent company of spruce trees spread thickly across the terrain. Speckles of light green dotted across spanning arms.

The first buds can sneak by unnoticed if you aren’t paying attention and, before you know it, in a few short weeks their season is all but gone. There’s a slight urgency to gather what is necessary and begin making a myriad of savory and sweet things like delectable syrups, salads, ice cream, and pickled tips.

What makes these new buds, or tips, so intriguing is that they are a momentary {culinary} gift from nature. They are full of vitamin C and have a lovely citric taste. Young tips tend to be more flavorful and less acidic, so it’s good to pick them right when they are just budding and fanning out from their brown casings. However, I do enjoy using tips that are nearing the end of the season for my beer battered spruce tips, which I share the recipe for in my cookbook.

When thinking about new dishes to make with these incredible tips, I had it in mind to make gravlax, but swap out the traditional dill for spruce tips. Since we live in the mountains and have access to some of the most wonderful trout, it also felt natural to use trout in place of salmon – especially as the season for the best trout parallels that of the spruce tip, or so I’ve been told. Mountain trout with mountain tips: a local match worth exploring for.

The flavor pairings of the citrusy spruce tips and the delicate trout work so well together. You can simply use a whole trout or even a filet, fresh or frozen. Cured fish may come off as being quite an extravagant dish, but it’s quick and easy to pull together. You just need a little patience and, for this, some spruce trees.

Cured Trout with Spruce Tips (gravet ørret med granskudd)

 Serves 6-8

• 1 whole fresh or frozen trout or 2 ¼ pounds (1 kg) filet
• 5 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar per 2 ¼ pounds (1 kg) fish
• 5 tablespoons (75 g) fine salt per 2 ¼ pounds (1 kg) fish
• 1 cup (2.5 dl) spruce tips, with needles roughly pulled apart by hand

If using a whole trout, filet the fish so you have 2 large skin-on filets; remove the bones. I recommend checking for bones again when the curing process is complete. If using a large filet, divide the filet in half.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and salt. Spread about 1/3 of the mixture in an even layer on the bottom of a roasting pan, top with about 1/3 of the spruce tips, and place a filet, skin side down, on top. Spread about 1/3 of the salt mixture and 1/3 of the spruce tips on the flesh side of the filet then arrange the second filet, flesh side down, on top. This way the skin is on the outside and the flesh sides are pressing against each other. Spread the remaining salt mixture and spruce tips on the skin side of the top filet, discarding any excess. Cover the filets with a cutting board or wood plank and top with something that weighs 2¼ to 4½ pounds (1 to 2 kg). Refrigerate for 2 days. Every 12 hours, turn the fish filets over without separating them and pour any juices in the pan over the top and sides of the filets. After 2 days, take the filets apart and pat them dry. Wrap the filets together in aluminum foil and refrigerate for 1 more day to enhance the flavor.

The cured trout is ready to be served at this point or can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

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Rhubarb plants – with their ornate and statuesque figures – have long been sought after and used as garden staples for centuries. Rhubarb cultivation in Norway is mentioned to have first begun around the 1700s, with rhubarb prized for its medicinal benefits. The root was dried and taken for preventative measures as well as used as medicine for digestive problems.

Rhubarb eventually found its way into the Norwegian kitchen in the 19^th century. Its sour stalks appealing – and sugar being its greatest companion.

A raw stalk dipped into sugar meant the simplest delight of that sweet and sour combination. Even to this day, eating a  sugar-coated, freshly-picked stalk is a common practice, especially with children.

Another simple dish that comes to mind during spring in Norway is rabarbragrøt, a somewhat-thick, sweet rhubarb soup that has been part of the Norwegian food culture for probably as long as rhubarb has been cooked in the home. It’s a delicate soup without any fuss. You can serve it warm or cold, plain or with whipped cream or ice cream.

Sometimes the short season for spruce tips, which takes place in early spring, coincides with the time to harvest rhubarb stalks. This year was that cross-over. With a bucketful of spruce tips in hand, I tested out new recipes for scones and infused salt. I even made staple favorites like syrup and pickles. With more tips leftover and a perpetual heat wave hitting Norway, it felt like the perfect time to make a creamy, custard ice cream with the last handful.

Rhubarb and spruce tips may seem like an unlikely pairing, but these two distinct flavors complement each other in the most interesting of ways. Rhubarb soup is sweet and a little tart, while the ice cream reflects a subtle earthiness.

Both of these desserts can stand alone on their own or be paired together for a delightful treat. One thing to note is that spruce tips appear for a very short season in the spring – the timing depending upon the geography and climate. Once harvested, the spruce tips can be stored for months in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with a couple of holes and a damp paper towel. You can also freeze them for later use.

Rhubarb Soup and Spruce Tip Ice Cream (Rabarbragrøt og granskuddiskrem)

Serves 4 to 6

For the rhubarb soup:

• 4 ¼ cups (500 g) rhubarb, diced
• 1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) water
• 2 tablespoons potato starch (potetmel) or cornstarch

For the spruce tip ice cream:

• 1 cup (240 ml) milk
• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
• ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup (40 g) spruce tips, cleaned and finely chopped

To make the rhubarb soup:

In a large saucepan, add the rhubarb, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender and falling apart.

Mix the potato starch with a little water in a small cup and add it to the soup. Stir until blended and thickened. Remove from the heat. You can serve it warm or place in the refrigerator and serve cold.

To make the spruce tip ice cream:

In a small saucepan, warm the milk and cream just before it begins to boil.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the sugar and egg yolks. Whisk in a little of the warm milk mixture into the bowl. Slowly add a little more at a time, whisking constantly to prevent any curdling, until everything is well combined. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat slightly to warm, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

When cooled, stir in the finely chopped spruce tips. Cover with a lid and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.

Pour the custard through a mesh strainer to catch the spruce tip pieces and discard. It’s perfectly fine if some spruce tip pieces remain in the custard after straining.

Pour the mixture into a prepared ice cream maker and run for about 15 minutes, or until thickened but still creamy. Pour into a freezer safe container with a lid until ready to use.

Serve the rhubarb soup warm or cold with a scoop of the spruce tip ice cream. Enjoy!

You can also use the pair the ice cream with my Simple Rhubarb Cake and Rhubarb and Juniper Berry Pie p

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The forest is full of gold this time of year.  Skogens gull. The time of year when mushrooms can be found by anyone desiring to look. And the mushrooms seemingly worth their weight in gold are the chanterelles (kantareller). With their bright, golden hue and curved caps, they are easily identifiable and almost give themselves away against the green, mossy forest bed.

Last week, we went on a sopptur, or mushroom hunt, to find these delicacies that grow all over this mountainous region. These hunts are one of life’s little pleasures and Norwegians view this time as a great way to combine fresh air, exercise and a good meal following a successful pick. This was our first hunt. The first of many to come. As we came along the path, not far from where we parked our car, we spotted the first chanterelle. My son had the honor of the first pick and quickly took to becoming one of the best chanterelle spotters and pickers around. We felt like we had hit gold that day. After an hour, we had filled all of our containers to the brim and even came across the biggest spoil right before returning home. Even without the copious amounts of chanterelles the evening still would have been a success as we laughed, chatted, snacked on wild blueberries and took in the serenity of the babbling brook as the sun’s rays shone through the elegant branches of the trees.

Chanterelles are chewy and meaty with a fruity and earthy aroma. They can be the feature of any dish or served as an accompaniment to highlight wild meats. They pair well with cream and butter and are delightful sautéed together with fresh herbs.

While we froze most of our bounty, we took a couple handfuls of the freshly picked ones and cooked them right over the open fire with the forest surrounding us. A couple sprigs of fresh thyme, a slice of butter, a glug of cream, a chunk of mild and creamy, white Norwegian goat cheese, some salt & pepper and a skillet is all we needed to make an absolutely delicious and rich dish.

This recipe is an easy, one-pan outdoor/campfire dish. A triumphant finish to the hunt for the forest’s gold. It’s rich and creamy, and will keep any belly satisfied while the main meal is slowly cooking away. Place some bread cubes along the grill to toast and then pass them around the campfire to dip into the gooey mixture.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 handfuls of chanterelles (enough to fill the skillet, evenly)
• 1 Tb butter
• 2 dl  (3/4 cup) heavy cream
• 450 g (1 lb) mild, hard goat cheese (preferably Norwegian white geitost), grated
• Couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
• Salt & pepper
• 1 loaf of white bread (loff brød), cubed and grilled 

Place a medium sized cast-iron skillet on a secured grill over a prepared open fire. Place the butter in the skillet. When the butter has melted, add the chanterelles, salt and pepper (to taste) and some of the thyme and sauté until barely tender.

Add the cream to the skillet and cook until the mixture has thickened a bit.

Toss the grated goat cheese (or another cheese of your liking which melts well) over the mixture and let it melt, without stirring.

When the cheese has melted over the entire mixture, take it off the heat. Sprinkle a couple of thyme leaves on top and serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.

*Here’s an informative guide on mushrooms in Norway

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Sprouts of stinging nettles and wood nettles (brennesle) have unearthed across our farm following an indecisive spring which left plenty of water and a sudden transition from frosty earth to vibrant patches of green. In only a few short days, they have begun a siege to take over; relentless, swift and full of surprise positioning. While their dominance and sting may prompt many to take up battle, it is their nutrition and use in cooking which have many people, including myself, welcome the voracious growing with open arms.

Behind the bite of this so called weed, is an incredibly nutritional and diverse super plant. Nettles can be handled and tamed (with some good gloves and boiling water) and have long been valued for their medicinal and health benefits, as well as their textile properties. Even the Vikings understood their value, as nettle fibers were discovered during the Oseberg find; a Norwegian Viking burial ship dated around 834 AD. During World War 1, the German army used nettles as a substitute for cotton when there was a shortage of textiles. And aside from being greatly fibrous, nettles are rich in vitamin C, magnesium and iron and other antioxidants. Ancient Egyptians used infusions of nettle for arthritis and the Romans carried it with them for stimulating circulation for tired legs. Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) and his followers reported 61 remedies using nettle. Native tribes across America, Ecuador and Canada were also discovered to use nettle for its medicinal properties. And today, it continues to be used for multiple remedies, including allergies, eczema, iron deficiency, and so on. (source)

Nettle is one of many of the plants foraged here in Numedal and across parts of Norway where it grows wild. You might be invited over for a cup of nettle tea, or a bowl of nettle soup during May and early June, just before the young leaves begin to flower. I wanted to explore the taste spectrum of the nettle and try my hand at something a bit off the beaten track. Something sweet. Something rustic. Something timeless. So what better way to celebrate the return of nettles in the spring than with a celebratory cake.

This nettle cake pairs incredibly well with the richness of honey and the light almond whipped cream frosting. It’s a cake that will impress, especially when you tell them that the star ingredient is that prickly weed growing in the yard and it’s packed full of nutrients. I shared this cake with friends and their young children and everyone gave it praise, especially the little ones as they enthusiastically gave their approval with a mouth full. It’s a down-to-earth cake; hearty and sweet and worth every little sting.

Nettle and Honey Cake with Almond Whipped Cream

This subtly sweet and down-to-earth cake is a great introduction to the world of the edible nettle and is possibly even better the next day once the almond whipped cream has had more time to soak into the cake.

Ingredients:

• 2 big handfuls of young nettle leaves, washed
• ½ cup (113 g) butter
• 1 cup (220 g) sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup (125ml) honey
• 2 cups (300 g) flour
• 2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

• 3dl (1 ¼ cup) heavy cream
• 1 Tb sugar
• ¼ tsp almond extract

Preheat the oven to 150º C / 300° F. Grease and line two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tins.

In a saucepan, boil water and add the nettles. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. Drain the nettles and blend with a hand blender. Set aside to cool.

In a food mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whip for a couple of minutes. Add the honey and nettle mixture and continue to whip until well mixed.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add this to the rest of the mixture and continue to mix until everything is well blended. The batter will be slightly stiff.

Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared cake tins. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Check the center of the cake with a toothpick after 30 minutes and continue baking if the toothpick does not come out clean. The cake has some spring to it and can be hard to predict if it is done just by touching the center. The toothpick will do the trick. When cooked, remove the cakes and set aside to cool for 10 minutes or so. After, place on a wire rack and cool completely.

In a bowl, add the heavy cream, sugar and almond extract and whip until it forms stiff peaks.

Assemble the cake by spreading some of the whipped cream over the top of one of the cakes. Place the other cake on top, and spread the rest of the whipped cream over the sides and top. (I dressed it up with nettles for the photos, but you can just serve it plain or with fresh fruits and/or edible flowers)

Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Can stay for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

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