English is a great language, but there are plenty of other languages that have come up with more and better words, usually to do with topics that are crucial for day-to-day life in that particular place. Small wonder that the Sami people, who live in northernmost parts of Scandinavia, have around 180 words for snow.
But the great thing about English is that it welcomes wonderful words from other languages whenever the zeitgeist is right (see what I did there?).
For example, the English-speaking world has been through some trying times in 2016. First, the Brits with Brexit, and then we Americans with our elections. It doesn’t matter how an individual voted; we are all feeling a little sore and crabby at the moment.
Which may be why a Danish concept you probably have never heard of has recently made a huge splash in the U.K. and will be all over magazines and bookstores in the U.S. in coming months. Ready?
The word is “hygge.”
It’s Danish, pronounced something like “hewguh,” though if you want to perfect your Scandinavian delivery, check out YouTube for expert advice.
Hygge can be used as an adjective, a noun or a verb, and it is all about the kinds of things that make an individual feel safe, comfortable and cozy. For me, hygge is curling up in front of a fire with a glass of wine and a great book. For someone else, it might be getting together with a group of friends to knit and chat and drink hot chocolate.
Hygge is a year-round concept, but the holidays have more opportunities for hygge than any other season, I think. First of all, it’s cold outside and nothing says hygge like bulky sweaters and wet mittens on a radiator. Second, the holiday season is all about nostalgia and tradition, and getting together with loved ones for feasting and gift-giving.
And here is the beauty of hygge: It has nothing at all to do with money, ostentatious display and stress. Hygge is a cup of hot cocoa. Hygge is the free Christmas tree you cut down behind your friend’s barn. Hygge is unravelling an old sweater from Goodwill to make balls of yarn to knit scarves with. Hygge is reading Astrid Lindgren’s Christmas at Noisy Village to your kids and then making gingerbread pigs.
One way to replace stress with hygge is to always be ready to “fika.” Fika is another one of those flexible noun/verb/adjective Scandinavian words. It’s got to do with sitting with friends and having something warm to drink and something sweet to snack upon. To always be ready for fika, I recommend baking a simple cake, one with enough fruit, butter and almond paste in it that a small slice will suffice and is moist enough to keep for days.
Below you’ll find a recipe that fits the bill, an Almond-Apple Keeping Cake. And if you make your own almond paste, you’ll save money and have plenty leftover for another cake, macaroons, or some other hygge-inspiring treat.
1 cup sugar
1½ cups blanched almond meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons rum (optional, you may use a little more water instead)
3 or 4 teaspoons of water, or enough to make a pliable paste
Put the sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse it until it becomes fine and powdery. Add the almonds and pulse several times until the mixture begins to come together in a paste. Add the almond extract and the rum (if using) and continue pulsing until the mixture comes together more. Begin to add water, about a teaspoon at a time, and pulse again. Add only enough water to convince the mixture to come together into a smooth, pliable, slightly oily paste. The amount of liquid needed will vary depending on how humid your kitchen is.
Once the almond paste has the right texture, place it in a tightly sealed plastic bag with all the air squeezed out of it, then place this bag into a plastic freezer container with a tightly sealing lid. Store in the freezer until needed. You may also store in the refrigerator, but be aware the paste will absorb odors and flavors readily. When ready to use in a recipe, allow the mixture to come to room temperature. The almond paste will keep for several months frozen, and for a week or two in the refrigerator.
4 to 5 medium apples, 1¾ to 2 pounds before peeling and coring, choose a variety that holds up well to baking like Granny Smith or Northern Spy
the juice of 1 lemon and 1 small orange, combined
1 scant cup almond paste (recipe above)
a pinch of salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus a little more for the pans
¾ cup sugar (plus a little extra for sprinkling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs at room temperature
1¼ cup flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-inch round, 3-inch deep cake pan (use a spring form pan if you have one). Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside.
Peel and core the apples. Half of the apple should be sliced into half-moon slices. The other half should be chopped into ¼ inch chunks. Keep them in separate bowls, but toss both sets of apples with the lemon and orange juice mixture to keep them from turning brown.
Put the almond paste and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a little to break it up. Add the butter and pulse until well combined, then add the sugar and pulse to combine well. Finally, pulse in the eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is homogenous. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Add it ⅓ at a time to the almond batter, just until well combined. Mix in the apple chunks. Pour into the prepared pan. Arrange the remaining apples decoratively on the top of the batter. Sprinkle generously with sugar.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 1-½ hours, until the top is golden brown and the cake is set in the center. A toothpick inserted in the cake will come out clean.
Allow to cool a while then turn the warm cake out of the pan and peel away the parchment. Turn right-side up. Serve warm or at room temperature. The cake will keep well for several days if wrapped in plastic. Serves 12 to 16.