Free Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break, with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats by Anna Brones, Johanna Kindvall Page B

candelabrum in the window, you simply wouldn’t want to be elsewhere.

    advent andlucia
    Leading up to Christmas, Swedes celebrate the four Sundays of Advent, lighting an additional candle in the Advent candelabrum every weekend and serving up a tray of goodies. The fika of the season is called adventskaffe (Advent coffee), which is a gathering of friends and family every Sunday during December. In the late afternoon you come together to enjoy some julbakelser (Christmas baked goods) and a mug of glögg (mulled wine), or coffee. You can’t say no to a tradition that has you eating goodies all through the month of December, and hosting an adventskaffe is a sure sign that you are embracing Swedish tradition. Common offerings are saffron buns and pepparkakor , a glorious blend of colors when they are laid out next to each other—the yellow saffron buns pairing well with the dark brown of the spice-filled gingersnaps. Also known as lussekatter , saffron buns are the signature baked good of December 13, the day for the St. Lucia celebration. In many ways, this is the kickoff to the Christmas season, and the julbakelser come in a steady stream from here to Christmas Day.
    The drink of choice for the month of December? Coffee is always an excellent pairing, but since you’re celebrating the season, you might as well go for glögg , the Swedish mulled wine that’s served this time of year. It’s warm and spicy and makes your house smell just like December should. Not in the mood to host a party? Pour yourself a cup of coffee, put a lussekatt on a wooden tray, light a candle, and curl up on the couch. December is meant for feeling cozy.
    julafton — CHRISTMAS EVE
    Along with the traditional julbord (Christmas table) spread of pickled herring, ham, potatoes, and many other seasonal delights, Christmas Eve has plenty of room for baked goods. A cup of glögg may be served with a slice of Saffron Cake with Almond Paste , and for dessert, delicate Almond Tartlet Shells are topped off with berry jam and whipped cream. With so many tasty concoctions available, don’t feel bad about eating them all day long, or even kicking the day off with a festive cookie-and-glögg-fueled breakfast.

marängtårta med hasselnötter
    HAZELNUT MERINGUE TORTE
    makes one 9-inch (23-centimeter) torte
    For celebrating birthdays, there is nothing more Swedish than whipped cream. Combined with chocolate, hazelnuts, and meringue in this recipe, it makes for a decadent dessert worthy of anyone’s special day. This recipe has been a family favorite that Anna’s mother, Britta, found in a magazine in the 1970s. For a twist on this torte, add a layer of blackberries, raspberries, or applesauce in the middle.
    torte
    6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
    ¾ cup (5.25 ounces, 148 grams) natural cane sugar
    4 egg yolks
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    ¼ cup (60 milliliters) plus 1 tablespoon milk
    ¾ cup (3.75 ounces, 106 grams) all-purpose flour
    1½ teaspoons baking powder
    ⅓ cup (2 ounces, 57 grams) dark chocolate chips
    ¾ cup (3.75 ounces, 106 grams) hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped, plus more for topping
meringue
    4 egg whites, room temperature
    ½ cup (3.5 ounces, 99 grams) natural cane sugar
to finish
    1 to 1½ cups (240 to 360 milliliters) heavy whipping cream, whipped, depending on how much you want to cover the torte with
    1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
    Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch (23-centimeter) round baking pans (springform pans work best). You can also bake this in a single rectangular pan and cut in half to make the individual layers.
    To prepare the torte, cream together the butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and stir into the butter and sugar mixture along with the vanilla and milk. Mix in the flour and baking powder and stir with a spatula until the batter is smooth.
    Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans and