From a batch of buns to a show-stopping Othello layer cake, Brontë’s recipes inspire the feelings of pure delight that baking at home can bring.

Try Brontë’s Daim Cookies—wonderfully gooey and filled with pieces of chocolate-coated almond toffee. The Trays and Rolls chapter includes super-soft Rye Flat Rolls and Lemon and Blueberry cake. Try one of the Everyday Cakes such as Mamma Lena’s Apple Pie or Tosca cake, a love story between almonds and buttery caramel.

Brontë introduces Fancy Fika and Celebration Cakes including a truly delicious Rye Layer Cake with Cherries or the indulgent Mini Licorice Pavlovas, Cremelinser, and Éclair with Marzipan. There are recipes for buns, breads, and crisp breads, as well as a host of treats sure to fill you with all the joy of home baking.

 

 

Brontë at home: Baking from the ScandiKitchen is available at Amazon.com and Indigo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Hazelnut & Strawberry Mousse Cake

jordbærmousse med hasselnøddebund

Serves 6

This cake has origins in an old Danish Easter recipe—but, more recently, a similar cake was made famous by a Danish bakery chain. I’ve baked this for many fika get-togethers and varied the berries in the mousse, but nothing beats strawberries when they are in season.

 

Hazelnut cake layer

200 g/1½ cupstoasted hazelnuts

4 egg whites

150 g/¾ cup caster/granulated sugar

2 tablespoons good-quality cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or sugar

 

Strawberry mousse

4 gelatine sheets

300 ml/1½ cups whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or sugar

400 g/14 oz. strawberries

50 g/¼ cup caster/superfine sugar

Mixed berries, to decorate

Edible rose petals, to decorate

A 22-cm/83/4-in. round cake pan, greased and lined with baking parchment

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.

 

In a food processor, grind half of the toasted hazelnuts and pulse until well ground. Chop the remaining hazelnuts into small pieces.

Whisk the egg whites until light foam peaks form, then add the sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla and fold until smooth. Fold in all the hazelnuts. Pour into the prepared cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven until done—depending on your oven, this can take 25–35 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Soften the gelatine leaves in cold water for approx. 10 minutes. Put the whipping cream and vanilla into a large bowl and whip until stiff. Set aside in the fridge.Meanwhile, blend the strawberries in a blender untilsmooth. Pass through a sieve/strainer—you should end up with around 350 g/12 oz. strawberry purée. Put the sugar and purée in a saucepan over a low heat.

Squeeze the gelatine leaves to remove any excess water, then add to the warm strawberry mixture. Whisk to combine. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Add 1/4 of the cold whipped cream to the strawberry purée and mix well, then pour the strawberry mix into the remaining cream and fold carefully. It is important the mixture is not hot. Pour into a bowl or piping bag and leave to chill for at least 2 hours or, ideally, overnight. To assemble, put the hazelnut base on a plate, pipe the mousse on top and finish with berries and edible petals.