Hurray for 17 May!

(Updated 2021) Whether in Norway or abroad, Norway’s Constitution Day (grunnlovsdag) is always a celebration full of lively parades and gatherings. This year, while we can’t celebrate in the usual way, we can still commemorate this day at home with as much cheer as usual. Here, I’ve listed 17 ways to celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day at home.

A little background: Norway became an independent nation in 1814 after the Constitution of Norway was agreed unanimously by the Eidsvoll Assembly on May 16. It was signed and came into force the next day on the 17^th. Celebrations were sporadic, but as Norway was in a union with Sweden all festivities on the day were banned for almost a decade from 1820. It wasn’t until 1833 that celebrations returned with the first official 17 May speech by the poet Henrik Wergeland. In 1870, the first children’s parade took place in Oslo under the initiative of writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and continues to this day. All throughout Norway, children’s parades are the center of the day’s celebrations. In Oslo, tens of thousands usually fill the streets to watch the parades and observe the Royal Family waving to all the children as they march past – a tradition since 1906.

17 Ways to Celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day (17 May) at Home

1. Wake up bright and early and get the celebrations going with a salute. Cannons are fired as early as 7:00am in certain places in Norway to salute the day. So, you can either silently reflect on the start of the day or welcome it in with some light banging of pans or whistling (careful though not to disturb your neighbors!).
2. Fly your Norwegian flag(s) and decorate with red, white and blue. Make ribbons, paper flags, banners and the like. Serve foods that reflect the color palette and decorate desserts with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
3. Dress your best. It doesn’t matter that you’re at home, put on your best attire or traditional bunad (Norway’s national costume).
4. Pull out the linens and china. You’re not the only thing that needs to dress your best, make sure your table is set and adorned with flags, candles and flowers.
5. Prepare a full breakfast spread. Breakfast becomes a big affair, so go all out. It’s customary to serve a buffet and typically this includes scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, fresh loaves of bread and rolls and an array of other edibles to match, such as cheeses, spreads and cold cuts. Many will also toast with a glass of bubbly.
6. Have your own in-home parade and/or watch earlier ones: The parades are an integral part of the day’s celebrations and usually begin mid-morning. Here’s a video of Oslo’s parade from 2019.
7. Shout “Hipp Hipp Hurra!” It’s the official chant of the day and you’re welcome to shout it as you please.
8. Listen to the drums. Bergen is famous for its buekorps. You can watch clips of them from last year’s parade here. If you have some drums on hand, you might want to join in the fun.
9. Congratulate your friends and family. “Gratulerer med dagen” is the greeting of the day. Spread the greeting via phone, text, email, or social media.
10. Indulge in ice cream. Lots of ice cream! With more time at home, you might want to try making your own like Rømmegrøt Ice Cream, No-Churn Brunost & Raspberry Swirl or Roasted Strawberry and Lemon Ice Cream.
11. Eat pølser “hot dogs”. More hot dogs are consumed on this day in Norway than on any other. Wrap them in lomper (soft potato flatbreads) or place in buns. Don’t forget the ketchup, mustard and sprøstekt løk “fried onions”.
12. Bake a cake or two or three… May is the month of cakes and 17 May is the highlight. They don’t call it kakebordet “the cake table” for nothing. For some recipe inspiration head here.
13. Fill your afternoon full of games. The day is all about having fun, especially for the kids. Games can include sack races, ring toss, limbo, darts, go fishing, and other indoor/outdoor games.
14. Sing along. At 12:00pm (GMT +2) on 17 May, 2021 all of Norway will sing the national anthem and people are encouraged to open windows and sing along from their homes.
15. Watch the Hans Majestet Kongens 3. Gardekkompani (HMKG) perform. They are a renowned military band and drill unit of the Norwegian Armed Forces who participate in parades, ceremonies and international military tattoos. See them perform here.
16. BBQ for dinner. Light up the grill and cook your favorites! A bbq is always a nice way to round off the evening.  
17. Kos deg. After a long, fun-filled day it’s important to kick off your shoes, get cozy and relax as we look forward to the next year’s celebrations.

Although this year is different again, let’s enjoy ourselves as much as possible and ensure the freezer is full of ice cream! I’d love to hear how you are celebrating this year, so write me a note in the comment section below.

*For a listing of the day’s NRK programs for 2021 (in Norsk), see here.

*For a fun upbeat kid’s explanation of the history of 17 mai (in Norsk), check out this video.

The post 17 Ways to Celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day (17 May) at Home appeared first on North Wild Kitchen.

In moments of indecisiveness, inspiration can come unexpectedly. Sometimes, it just takes a good friend and a simple conversation to provide a little clarity that sparks an idea. That is how this cake – a combination of pavlova and cheesecake – came to be.

You see, the month of May is prime cake table ´kakebord´ time in Norway. With confirmations, weddings, celebratory parties, and, of course, 17 Mai (Norway’s Constitution Day), there’s no reason not to bake or at least indulge in the dessert conversation. There are traditional cakes, like kvæfjordkake, bløtkake, marzipan cake, kransekake. There are also newer favorites such as pavlova and brownies. One thing for is for sure, whether it’s chocolate, vanilla, meringue, marzipan, simple, extravagant, old or new, the most important thing is the love that is poured out and shared during the occasion and the cake is just a sweet indulgent that adds to memory.

I couldn’t quite settle on which recipe to share with you. I bounced between kransekake, marzipan cake, swill roll, and filled cupcakes – that would be very on theme. With the clock ticking, I felt like I needed to make a decision, but kept heading in circles. It was in the cool evening, surrounded by  the rolling farm fields of Rollag, that inspiration finally hit.

I shared my dilemma with a dear friend. We chatted about traditions and cakes we like and didn’t like as much. She divulged that she loves the cheesecake with the wiggly jello layer on top. We then pondered why pavlova is so popular in Norway and how simple a swiss roll cake is, but at the same time so good. She stressed the desire for wanting to make something different than the usual. The cool breeze suddenly piercing through our jackets, reminding us we should head inside. The cake conversation ended as quickly as it started.

I left with a burning desire to provide her with a different cake recipe. As I replayed the conversation in my head, the cheesecake and the pavlova suddenly merged into one. A pavlova cheesecake. Simple and a marriage of two favorites.

The pavlova cheesecake, while new to my repertoire, is not a new combination. I found a few recipes as I researched; many from Australia that, along with New Zealand, claim pavlova as their national cuisine. This recipe, though, uses the Norwegian cheesecake I learned from my Norwegian mother-in-law: light, fluffy, and with a slight lemon tang. The balance of sweet meringue and creamy cheesecake is accentuated with fresh berries. A cake that was tested and well-received before I shared it with all of you.

Pavlova Cheesecake with Fresh Berries

Serves 8-10

For the pavlova:

• 4 large eggs at room temperature, separated
• 1 cup (200 g) caster/super fine sugar

For the cheesecake:

• 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons (250 ml) water
• 4 ½ ounces (125 g) lemon-flavored gelatin powder
• 10 ½ ounces (300 g) cream cheese
• 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) sour cream
• 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream

To serve:

Selection of berries such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 170°C.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the bottom of a 9-inch / 23 cm spring form pan and place the side of the spring form pan on top of the prepared baking sheet. Line the spring form side with parchment, using a little softened butter between the parchment and the pan to get it to hold.  

For the pavlova, use an electric mixer on medium to whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, whipping until stiff peaks form. Pour into the spring form, careful to keep it in place from sliding.

Lower the oven temperature to 250°F / 120°C.

Place the pavlova in the oven on the middle shelf. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until firm and dry on the outside. Turn off the oven and if you have some time, let the pavlova cool completely inside the oven or take out and let cool at room temperature. Once cool, either leave on the tray as it is (make sure it fits in the refrigerator) or carefully remove the pavlova from the tray with the sides of the springform still attached to a serving platter.

Prepare the cheesecake filling once the pavlova has cooled. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Pour into a medium, heat-safe bowl and let cool completely. Add the cream cheese and stir to fully combine.

In a second large bowl, whisk together the sour cream and confectioners’ sugar. Add the cream cheese–gelatin mixture and whisk to combine.

In a second medium bowl, whisk the heavy cream until stiff peaks form then add to the batter and gently fold to combine.

Pour the batter over the pavlova and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.

This cake is best served as soon as the cheesecake filling sets. It will last a day or two in the refrigerator, but the pavlova will begin to break down the longer it stays in the cold.

To serve, place on a serving plate (if you have not already done so) and remove the springform and the parchment paper carefully. Top with the seasonal berries. If you like, you can even serve it with this fresh berry sauce from my recipe for rice pudding ice cream.

The post Pavlova Cheesecake (Ostekake) with Fresh Berries appeared first on North Wild Kitchen.

Yay for May! And layer cakes!

With 17 May (syttende mai) soon approaching, there is always a heightened sense of enthusiasm and anticipation in the air. The National Day of Norway – with parades, national costumes, flags, drummers, sausages, games, family and friends – is one of the most special days in Norway. And the cake table is no exception.

When thinking of a dessert to share on this day, it’s simply impossible for me to pick a favorite. Between scrumptious pavlova, fruit adorned layer cakes, towers of kransekake, fluffy sheet cakes, creamy cheesecakes, simple trifles and the famous kvæfjordkake, how can anyone stick to only one? Desserts of all shapes, sizes, tastes textures and stories – a good analogy for the people that make up any great nation.

But alas, the bløtkake has won out. Mainly because it’s one of those cakes that always makes an appearance at any celebration. But also because it tastes amazing and just so happens to be my husband’s favorite.

Bløtkake has a long history. The sponge cake itself is referred to as ‘sukkerbrød’ or sugar bread. The name sukkerbrød, according to the classic, German book Deautshes Wörterbuch, refers to the general term of an old fashioned baked good as well as a bread topped with sugar. It was first introduced in a cookbook written by Helle Schrøders in Denmark in 1692. Here is a link to the earliest recipe to be found in Norwegian/Danish tradition.

This is a classic favorite. Light and fresh with a generous portion of fresh fruits. The great thing about bløtkake is that you can use what you have lying around the house. Pick your favorite berries, slather it with your favorite jam and go with or without custard. And, of course, if serving it on 17 May make sure it has all the colors of the Norwegian flag!

Bløtkake (Norwegian Cream Cake)

(Makes 1 cake)

Ingredients:

Sponge Cake/Sukkerbrød

• 5 eggs
• 175g (3/4 cup) sugar
• 175g (1 1/4 cups) flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

Custard

• 2 egg yolks
• 55g (1/4 cup) sugar
• 2 Tb corn starch
• 5 dl (2 cups) whole milk
• ½ vanilla pod or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• 650g (3 cups) heavy whipping cream
• 2 1/2 Tb powdered sugar

Other

• Mix of blueberries, strawberries & raspberries (or other fruits/berries of your choice)
• Strawberry Jam
• Milk or juice

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 165°C/325°F. Place a parchment sheet in the bottom of a spring form cake pan so that it fits just right (cutting it into a circular shape and greasing the bottom so it sticks) and grease the sides of the pan and top of the parchment sheet. For this cake, I used a 22cm/9inch pan.

Blend the eggs and sugar together in a kitchen mixer on medium/high speed for 6-8 minutes, until it becomes stiff and light in color. This is really important because you want the sponge cake to rise when it bakes and become airy and light.

Sift the flour and baking powder over the batter and mix gently with a spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared spring form cake pan and place on top of a cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.

When the cake is done, allow to cool. You can also freeze the cake for future use.

Begin making the custard by whisking together the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and blend until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.

Place the whole milk in a saucepan and add the vanilla beans by scraping them from the pod and discarding the pod afterwards. Warm the milk just before it begins to boil, without letting it boil. Take it off the heat.

Steadily and slowly, add the milk to the bowl with the sugar mixture, whisking constantly to avoid any curdling of the eggs. When you have mixed everything together, pour it back into the saucepan and return to the stove. Over medium heat, cook the mixture until it has thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. If you wish, you can transfer the custard to a strainer and push gently through to remove any bits of curdled egg. 

To make the whipped cream, place the cream and the powdered sugar in a kitchen mixer and whip on medium/high for a couple of minutes until the cream is stiff.

To assemble the cake, take your sponge cake and cut it into 3 even and separate (horizontal) layers. On the bottom layer, spoon over some milk or juice (this will help soften the cake) then spread a layer of jam on top. Top the jam with a good amount of the custard, followed by the whipped cream and spread it out to the edges of the cake. Place the second layer of sponge on top and repeat with the milk, jam and custard and some more of the whipped cream (reserving enough to cover the cake). Place the final layer of cake on top and cover completely with the rest of the whipped cream, sides and all. Decorate the top with the berries.

Bløtkake is one of those cakes that actually tastes better the next day because the custard and whipped cream has had some time to soak into the sponge cake. You can, of course, serve this cake immediately and it’s still delightful, but seconds on the day after will be even better. Enjoy!

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Kringler. Nordic pretzels of various forms of sweet, salty, filled, crispy and soft. But one kringle stands out as one of the most well-known in Norway and it hails from Bergen. It also happens to be a permanent fixture on the 17 Mai (Grunnlovsdag) table, as it finds its place alongside spekemat (cured meats) and rømmegrøt.

Bergen is known in Norway for their vannkringler, a traditional pastry still consumed today. The recipe is simple: flour, water, yeast and salt. The technique is masterful, as the dough is rolled out thinly and then tossed and twisted around before being sealed with a gentle blow. Before being baked until a golden brown, they are placed in a hot water bath, hence bestowing them the name vannkringler, or ‘water ring’.

This tradition is thought to be influenced heavily by Dutch and German salesman operating in the area of Bryggen, the old trading wharf of Bergen. Being easy to store and with a long shelf-life, vannkringler was purchased by many fisherman, who would take them along their journeys. It is said that empty caskets would be used as storage for the vannkringler by northern Norwegian fisherman as they headed back home.

It’s clear the hands of a baker can achieve many great things. Fingers which dance with dough, creating a delicate balance between shape and weight. I seem to lack such artistic ability on days when Norway experiences weather anomalies which bring high temperatures, cool breezes and an inmost desire to do nothing but be outside, relax and take in something refreshing. So, you will understand why each pretzel of mine, created during this anomaly, has a shape of its own and a thickness of its own. I like to think of them as sure signs of homemade goodness; not uniform mind you, but tasty nonetheless. And something I did get to enjoy while basking in the sun. Perhaps yours will be shapelier, more in sync, crispier. Bake them as you wish and by all means, enjoy them as much as every fisherman ever did.

Bergenske Vannkringler

(Makes around 20 pretzels)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) lukewarm water
• 40 g fresh yeast
• 1/4 cup (56 g) butter or margarine, melted & cooled
• 4 1/2 cups (540 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast into the water. Add the butter, salt, and enough flour to make a firm dough. Knead and place back into the bowl and allow the dough to rise for 20-30 minutes.

Divide the dough into equal parts and roll the dough out into thin sausages. Shape into a pretzel.

Preheat the oven to 220° C / 425° F. In a large pan, bring water to a boil and place the pretzels in the water. When they float to the top, take them out and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until they are golden brown on top.

Let them cool slightly and serve alongside cured meats, rømmegrøt, and butter (or anything else your heart desires).

∗Interesting video on the history of, and how to make, vannkringler from NRK TV (video is in Norsk)

∗Vannkringler recipe based on a few different websites with the same measurements

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