Nordic things and themes have been gaining traction over the last couple of years. It's mainly because the Scandinavian aesthetic is minimalistic, simple, and prioritizes functionality over much else. The overall lifestyle follows much the same route. When it comes to pastries, they're just as lovely.
French pastries are generally known for butter, sugar, and decor that's more on the frilly end. Nordic pastries, on the other hand, are pretty simple but taste wonderful and have a charming quality to them. Scandinavian pastries are easily one of the best kinds amongst all of Europe. And yet, Scandinavia is an oft-overlooked destination for pastry lovers.
Read on to learn more about delicious, superb Scandinavian pastries.
Brownies with a Coffee-Chocolate Ganache: Karleksmums
The English term for this pastry is generally "love yums" or "love treats.” The brownie is fluffy, light, and aside from its ganache, it has unsweetened coconut on top. It's well-known across the Nordic region and is the best choice for Fika, which, loosely translated, is essentially a snack break.
Cinnamon Bun Cake with Vanilla Custard and Almond Paste: Butterkaka
The name of this treat for cinnamon lovers is understandably confusing to a certain extent. After all, in Swedish, 'butter' means grumpy, and 'kaka' means cake or cookie. However, the last thing this cake is bound to do is turn anyone grouchy or bring on frowns. Butterkaka is a combination of the Swedish word 'kaka' with the English word butter. Translated literally, it then reads as butter cake! It's a cluster of cinnamon buns filled with vanilla custard that's often orange-infused alongside a sweet almond paste.
Cinnamon Rolls: Kanelbullar or Kanelsnegle
For the Danish, it's referred to as the kanelsnegle. What people may not know, however, is that Sweden is where the cinnamon roll stems from. Aside from coffee, when you visit a Swedish household, you'll end up with kanelbullar alongside a cup of coffee. There's even an annual Swedish holiday for cinnamon buns on the fourth of October. The Swedes celebrate Cinnamon Bun Day, wherein restaurants and bakeries country-wide display their spiced cinnamon rolls.
Fried Doughnuts That Are Sweetened and Have Hints of Nutmeg and Cardamom: Kleinur
This Nordic Christmas treat has several other names across other Scandinavian countries: fattigmann, klena, klenät, kleina, klejne, and kleyna. In Iceland, however, its popularity is so established that you can find it on any day of the year. While kleinurs are indeed donuts, their shape is not the traditional circle with a hole in the middle. Instead, they're twisted and resemble braids.
Multi-Layered Sponge Cake with Green Marzipan on Top, the Princess Cake: Prinsesstarta
As the name suggests, this pastry got its name due to how popular it is with princesses. Sweden considers this one of its primary sources of national pride. Inside, there's a thick layer of whipped cream, raspberry jam, and vanilla custard. This gorgeous cake is a common choice for birthdays or other special occasions.
Conclusion
An excellent destination for a wide selection of pastries that people often overlook is Scandinavia. Sweden, Norway, and their neighboring countries have plenty of sweet treats to offer too! Check out the Princess Cake or Prinsesstarta, cinnamon bun cake or Butterkaka, or indulgent fried donuts Kleinur.
Looking for a Norwegian bakery in Colorado? Check out Ana’s Norwegian Bakeri! We specialize in Norwegian pastries and baked goods such as cinnamon rolls, sweet cardamom rolls, and more.