Old-Time Grandma Food

An airy cake piled with whipped cream and strawberries; an almond-studded coffeecake filled with rich almond paste; an apple cake spicy with cinnamon; butter-rich oatmeal cookies that you can’t stop eating.

Any mom would be happy with one of these for Mother’s Day, but Scandinavian mothers might be especially thrilled: The recipes come from Scandinavia, a part of the world famous for fine baking.

They were gathered by Beatrice Ojakangas, America’s leading exponent of Scandinavian cookery. And they appear in her latest book, “Scandinavian Feasts” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang: $37.50).

Ojakangas, of Duluth, Minn., went to Scandinavia in order, as she put it, to “rethink” the food before writing the book. She observed a new style of cooking there that echoes the lighter, innovative food that is appearing in other Western countries. This “greening of the kitchen,” as she calls it, is not what she was after. “I was looking for the old-time grandma food, the stuff that our ancestors ate,” says Ojakangas, who is Finnish. She found what she was looking for in country inns and simple cafes where working people go for hot lunches.

Her book, which is in menu format, is a good way to get in touch with cuisines that are little known in the United States.

“Scandinavians have never been out there to tout their food,” she says. “And Scandinavians who come to the United States don’t start restaurants. They think their food is ordinary, but in the overall picture, there is a lot of variety.”

Ojakangas has written 15 cookbooks, including the “Great Scandinavian Baking Book.” And she’s been termed a genius with yeast doughs. That’s a good reason to try her recipe for Marzipan Kringle, the yeast-raised Danish pastry shaped like a giant pretzel. Kringle is a wise choice for Mother’s Day because you can make the dough the day before, then assemble the kringle in time for breakfast or brunch.

Ojakangas also recommends her Strawberries and Cream Cake because it is so easy to make. The simple formula is based on equal measures of eggs, sugar and flour. The filling is sweetened whipped cream, topped with sliced strawberries, or any fruit you prefer.

If you’ve inherited Mom’s old iron skillet, get it out for an apple- and almond-topped cake that Ojakangas copied from a roadside coffee shop in Sweden. It’s another easy recipe.

Or bake Mom a box of cookies. There are lots of ideas for these in Ojakangas’s book, including spicy ginger cookies, spritz, butter fingers and Norwegian rolled cookies. Out of the lot Ojakangas suggests crusty cookie squares made with oats, one of the main grains employed by Scandinavian bakers.

MARZIPAN KRINGLE

1 package dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup warm milk

1 cup whipping cream, at room temperature

3 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1/2 cup firm unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

Almond Filling

1 egg white, beaten

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Combine yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar and warm milk in small bowl. Let stand until yeast dissolves and begins to foam, about 10 minutes. Gently stir in whipping cream.

In large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and cardamom. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Fold in yeast mixture just until all dough is moistened. Cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

Turn chilled dough out onto lightly floured surface. With rolling pin, pound dough until flattened to about 2-inch thickness, then roll to make 24-inch square. Spread Almond Filling to within 1 inch of edges of square and roll dough up as tightly as possible. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup sugar on work surface. Roll dough firmly into sugar to coat it well and at same time stretch it to form log 36 to 40 inches long.

Cover large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place roll on paper and twist into shape of pretzel. Brush surface with egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until puffy but not doubled. Bake at 375 degrees 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Makes about 16 servings.

Almond Filling

1 (8-ounce) package almond paste

1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon almond extract

Just before rolling out chilled dough, blend together almond paste, almonds, sugar, cinnamon and almond extract.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CAKE

1 cup (about 4 large) eggs, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 to 2 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 quart strawberries, sliced

Line bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper and coat paper with non-stick cooking spray.

In large bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs until frothy. Raise speed to high and add granulated sugar gradually, beating until very thick and lemon-colored, scraping sides of bowl often.

In separate bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add flour mixture to whipped eggs. Mix just until blended. Blend in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Pour batter into prepared cake pans, spreading to edges. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes, or until center of cake bounces back when touched. Remove cake layers from oven and cool.

When ready to assemble cake, whip cream to stiff peaks. Add powdered sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Remove cakes from pans. Invert 1 layer on serving plate so that flat side is face up.

Spread half whipped cream on top and cover with generous layer sliced strawberries. Place second cake layer on top of fruit so that flat side is face up. Top cake with remaining whipped cream and fruit. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours, then serve. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

SWEDISH APPLE CAKE

1 tablespoon fine dry bread crumbs

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 apples, peeled and cut into 12 wedges each

1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds

Butter 10-inch springform pan or 10-inch cast-iron skillet and sprinkle with bread crumbs. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs and 1 cup sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Add melted butter.

In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder, then combine with butter mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan or skillet.

In medium bowl combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Toss apples in cinnamon-sugar mixture until all pieces are well-coated. Press apples into top of cake batter in spiral pattern. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 12 servings.

OAT BARS

1 cup butter

3 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup sugar

2 egg whites

Melt butter and let cool 5 minutes. In large bowl, stir together oats and melted butter. Stir in sugar and egg whites until blended. Mixture will be somewhat crumbly. Press oat mixture into lightly buttered 17 x 11-inch jellyroll pan and smooth top.

Bake at 375 degrees 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut into squares while still warm but do not remove from pan until cold. Makes 80 (2-inch) squares.