Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break, with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats [A Baking Book]

by Anna Brones, Johanna Kindvall

Overview

An illustrated lifestyle cookbook on the Swedish tradition of fika—a twice-daily coffee break—including recipes for traditional baked goods, information and anecdotes about Swedish coffee culture, and the roots and modern incarnations of this cherished custom.

Sweden is one of the world’s top coffee consuming nations, and the twice-daily social coffee break known as fika is a cherished custom. Fika can be had alone or in groups, indoors or outdoors, while traveling or at home. A time to take a rest from work and chat with friends or colleagues over a cup and a sweet treat, fika reflects the Swedish ideal of slowing down to appreciate life’s small joys. In this adorable illustrated cookbook, Anna Brones and Johanna Kindvall share nearly fifty classic recipes from their motherland—from cinnamon buns and ginger snaps to rhubarb cordial and rye bread—allowing all of us to enjoy this charming tradition regardless of where we live.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607745860
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	04/07/2015
Pages:	168
Sales rank:	126,774
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

ANNA BRONES is a Swedish-American freelance writer based in Paris. She is the editor of the online food magazine Foodie Underground, and is a contributor to a variety of publications including BBC, Guardian, Sprudge, GOOD, and PUNCH.
 
JOHANNA KINDVALL is a Swedish illustrator who divides her time between Brooklyn and Skåne in the south of Sweden. Her work has been featured in various books and magazines. She also writes an  illustrated cooking blog, Kokblog, which was named a Saveur “site we love".

Read an Excerpt

kokostoppar
Coconut Peaks makes 25 to 30 cookies

Kokostoppar are the Swedish version of a classic coconut macaroon and most certainly a staple on the fika cookie platter. This is a recipe that works well with many variations. For a twist, try adding a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger or dipping the tips in dark chocolate. These are also gluten-free. 

3½ tablespoons (1.75 ounces,
50 grams) unsalted butter
2 eggs
⅔ cup (4.67 ounces, 132 grams) natural cane sugar
2¼ cups (6.75 ounces, 191 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

In a bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and sugar. Fold in the coconut and salt and the slightly cooled butter. Let the batter sit for about 15 minutes.

Scoop tablespoon-size portions of the batter onto the baking sheet and shape them into peaked mounds.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Table of Contents

Introduction

chapter 1
a history of Swedish coffee 

chapter 2
modern-day fika

chapter 3
the outdoor season 

chapter 4
celebrating more than the everyday

chapter 5
bread, sandwiches, and fika as a snack

Resources 
Acknowledgments 
Index 

Editorial Reviews

"The book is a delicious compendium of nearly 50 illustrated recipes inspired by Brones and Kindvall’s childhoods, equally fueled by Fika. The cookies, cakes and breads (including savory variants) tap right into a growing, universal quest to achieve a more laid-back European lifestyle."
—Lindsey Tramuta, New York Times T Magazine

"As accessible as it is insightful, Fika is a baking book mixed with etiquette how-to and cultural know-how, iced with a calendar of holidays and expressed as a work of illustrated art. "
—Anne Bramley, Paste Magazine

"Operating as both a noun and a verb, the finer points of the fika are sometimes lost on outsiders—until now. Writer Anna Brones and illustrator Johanna Kindvall compiled the history and practice of the fika along with a collection of recipes for Swedish baked goods in their release "Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. [...] For those looking to bring fika vibes to their lives, the book is a wealth of Swedish recipes and cooking tips. Swedish classics like kanelbullar (cinnamon buns spiced with cardamom) and hasselnötsflarn (simple cookies best dipped in a fresh cup of coffee) are easily explained and aided by Kindvall's upbeat illustrations. The visual component of the recipes especially comes in handy for more elaborate specialties like lussekatter (saffron buns). Beyond the classic sweet-baked goods associated with fika, the book gives recipes for savory smörgåsbords, jams, drinks and more contemporary recipes like the ultra-rich chokladbollar (chocolate balls that are, admittedly, mostly butter)."
 —Hans Aschim, Cool Hunting

From the Publisher