Food & Drink

Ingredients:

Sugar Cookies

▢ 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt ▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar ▢ 1 egg room temperature ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract ▢ 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Icing

▢ 3 cups powdered sugar sugar ▢ 4 Tablespoons milk ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ▢ Assorted gel food coloring ▢ Assorted sprinkles for decorating

Instructions:

Whisk dry ingredients (2 min): In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon saltBeat wet ingredients (5 min): In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 full minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.3/4 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon almond extractCombine dough (2 min): With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients until combined.

Roll out and chill (2 hours): Divide the dough in half and place each on floured parchment paper. Place another piece on top and roll each out between two pieces of parchment paper 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.Cut the cookies out (10 min): When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the cookies from the fridge and use mini cookie cutters to cut the dough out. Pick the cookie cutters up slowly so the cookie comes out with the cutter. I find this is the easiest way for the more intricate designs to keep their shape. Use the bristle end of a small brush, like a cookie decorating brush (or kid’s paint brush), to help nudge the dough out of the cutter. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet. They don’t spread so you can arrange them closely.

Bake (9 minutes): Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes (9 was perfect for me), until the tops are set and the bottoms are just barely golden. Re-roll any dough scraps and repeat until the dough is gone. Cool completely on the baking sheet before icing.Make the icing (3 min): Add the powdered sugar to a large bowl with the vanilla and 4 Tablespoons of milk. Use a fork to mix until smooth. It should be difficult to combine then start to smooth out. When you lift the fork out of the icing it should drizzle like a ribbon back into the bowl before melting back into the icing. Add a tiny drop of water or a smalls poonful of powdered sugar to to reach this consistency.3 cups powdered sugar sugar, 4 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extractDecorate (30 min): Divide the icing into separate bowls. Add food coloring to reach your desired colors (see notes for what I used). Dip the tops of each cookie into the icing and let it drizzle off slightly before setting it back on the parchment lined baking sheet and decorate with sprinkles. I like to dip 5-10 at once then sprinkle and repeat. If any of the icing starts to set on top, stir well with a fork before dipping again. The cookies take 1-2 hours to full set after dipping.

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted3 overripe large bananas, mashed1 cup granulated sugar1 egg, room temperature1/4 cup greek yogurt2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 cup all purpose flour1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa powder3/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease 10 standard size muffin tins and line with cupcake liners. Set aside.In a large mixing bowl combine the melted butter, mashed bananas and granulated sugar, beating until combined. Add the egg and mix well.Scrape down the bowl, and add the greek yogurt and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until it begins to come together and no streaks of flour or cocoa powder remain. Last, fold in the chocolate chips, mixing only until just combined.Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about 3/4 of the way. You can use a large cookie scoop or a 1/4 cup measure to keep things consistent. If you’re feeling indulgent, place a few more chocolate chips on top of each muffin.Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then turn oven down to 375°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until muffins are golden brown and spring back to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before eating!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature1 cup brown sugar, packed1 egg, room temperature2 teaspoons vanilla extract.1/3 cup cocoa powder1 teaspoon espresso powder1 cup all purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.Place the softened butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.Scrape down the bowl and add the cocoa powder, espresso powder, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing to medium. Mix until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.Fold in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.Use a 2 ounce cookie scoop to drop the cookie dough onto your prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart.Bake at 350°F for 11 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers are still gooey. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet until set. Enjoy!

bring out the olives 🫒

With wild mushrooms growing in such abundance in Sweden it is no surprise that mushroom soup is an absolute classic in Swedish cuisine. It can be dressed up to make a very impressive starter or, with some nice bread, it can make a hearty lunch. In the autumn Swedes would normally make this soup with whatever mushrooms they have foraged.

At other times of year, most Swedes would use dried mushrooms, which also make a fantastic soup ideal for a cold winter’s day. John Duxbury

Tips

• Any dried wild mushrooms can be used, but I prefer to use trattkantareller (funnel chanterelles, also called yellowfoots) or karljohan (porcini) because they rehydrate well and they are so full of flavour.

• Although dried mushrooms are often rehydrated with hot water they will be better flavoured if you use water at room temperature even though it takes longer, 30 minutes instead of 15 minutes.

Ingredients

30 g (1¼ oz) dried wild mushrooms

500 ml (2 cups) water

2 tbsp butter

2 red onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

500 ml (2 cups) good quality chicken, mushroom or vegetable stock

½ tsp freshly chopped thyme

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp sherry, optional 90 ml (6 tbsp) whipping cream cream to drizzle, optional parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Soak the mushrooms in 500 ml (2 cups) of water at room temperature for 30 minutes or 15 minutes in warm if short of time.

2. Pick the mushrooms out of the water and put in a sieve over a bowl to drain. Carefully strain the mushroomy water, through muslin if necessary, and add the strained liquid to the stock. (If using kantareller (girolle) mushrooms, discard the water as it normally has a rather bitter taste. Increase the amount of stock to 1000 ml/4 cups to compensate.)

3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the red onion, garlic and the rehydrated mushrooms. Fry until softened, but not coloured.

4. Remove from the heat, sprinkle over the flour and stir it into the onion and mushroom mixture.

5. Gradually add the stock, stirring carefully after each addition, and then add the thyme, salt and pepper.

6. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

7. Pour everything into a blender and blend thoroughly. Pour the soup back into the saucepan through a strainer. Reheat without boiling.

8. Add the sherry (optional) and cream. Stir thoroughly, taste and adjust the seasoning.

9. Pour the soup into warm bowls and garnish with the fresh cream and chopped parsley if desired.

Gravadlax with mustard and dill sauce is one of Sweden’s most famous dishes. Over the years it has gradually grown in popularity in the UK so that nearly all supermarkets stock it these days. Nonetheless, homemade gravadlax is so good it is worth making the effort to cure your own. The name literally means “grave salmon” and refers to the medieval practice of curing raw fish by salting it and then burying it in sand or with weights on top to force the salt into the fish.

Swedes will often cure a whole fish. To do this, follow the recipe for each fillet, then sandwich them together, skin-side out, to reform the fish. If you prefer a thicker mustard and dill sauce, something more like mayonnaise, add an egg yolk with the mustard. Unless the fish is really fresh, it must be frozen for at least 24 hours before you begin and then left to thaw in the fridge. British people tend to like it less salty than Swedes. If you think it might be too salty for you, reduce the curing time from 48 to 24 hours.

1 kg (2 lb) fresh salmon, filleted and boned, with skin on 100 g (½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar 75 g (½ cup) sea salt flakes (best to weigh, about 2½ oz) 1 tbsp 100 g (4 oz) white peppercorns, crushed dill, including stalks Mustard and dill sauce 4 tbsp 2 tbsp 1 tbsp Swedish mustard (use 3 tbsp Dijon if you can’t get Swedish) caster (superfine) sugar white vinegar, such distilled malt or white wine vinegar salt and freshly ground black pepper 150 ml (½+ cup) vegetable oil such as sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil 3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped - minutes

Method

1. Cut some aluminium foil big enough for wrapping up the salmon.

2. Run your fingers over the salmon to feel for any tiny pin bones. If you find any, remove them with tweezers.

3. Mix together the salt, sugar and crushed white peppercorns. Spread half the mixture over the skin side of the salmon.

4. Take a third of the dill and spread out on the aluminium foil. Place the salmon on this, skin side down.

5. Rub the remaining salt mixture over the salmon flesh.

6. Chop the remaining dill and cover the flesh side of the salmon with it.

7. Wrap the salmon up and place it in a dish. Place another dish on top of the salmon and weigh down using, for instance, a few bottles of water.

8. Place in the fridge for 48 hours, turning the salmon over every 12 hours.

9. To make the sauce, put the mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper into a food processor and mix for 20 seconds. Then, with the motor running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Pour the mixture into a serving dish and add chopped dill. (It is better left for a day or so to mature.)

10. When the salmon is cured, unwrap it and drain off the salty, sticky liquid and discard it. Scrape off most of herbs. Slice at an angle of 45°, pulling each slice away from the skin. Serve with the mustard and dill sauce, rye bread and, if desired, some crème fraîche and black lumpfish caviar.

11. Wrap any unused gravadlax in cling film (food wrap) and store in the fridge. Use within a week.