The 3 best Scandinavian recipes to treat yourself to this Easter

The last of the winter snow is melting away and spring is in the air, which means Easter is almost upon us. And there’s more to look forward to than just a four day weekend. First and foremost, it gives many of us ample opportunity to indulge in a new dessert idea. Even if you don’t celebrate Easter – or if you’ve long grown out of dyeing eggs and searching for chocolates in nooks and crannies – there’s something undeniably tempting about the pastel colours and delicious treats that come part and parcel with this cosy holiday.

So, why not meander into the kitchen to whip up a sweet finale for an Easter meal, or a treat to munch on throughout the weekend? Here, Vogue Scandinavia compiles three fool-proof Scandinavian style recipes for the sweetest of holidays.

The carrot cake is internationally recognised as one of the best desserts to serve during Easter as it both looks and tastes the part. Popularised as one of the healthier dessert options, this delectable cake matches perfectly with the Easter aesthetic that so many strive for and is certainly not hard to make at home. See for yourself by following the recipe below:

175g of light muscovado sugar
175 ml sunflower oil
3 large eggs
140g grated carrot (approximately 3 medium)
100g raisins
1 large orange
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp grated nutmeg
250g pure icing sugar
50ml orange juice

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Tip the sugar, sunflower oil and eggs into a big mixing bowl. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Grate the carrots and then stir them together with the raisins and orange zest.
3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and nutmeg into the bowl. Mix everything together, the mixture should be soft and almost runny.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 mins or until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre.
5. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. You can also freeze the cake if you want to serve it at a later date.
6. Beat the icing sugar and orange juice in a small bowl until smooth – you want the icing about as runny as single cream. Put the cake on a serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth in diagonal lines over the top, letting it drip down the sides.
7. Take out a fork and dig in

A ginger biscuit is the perfect snack to nibble on while waiting for your Easter turkey to slowly roast in the oven. This small yet significant treat perfectly balances the sweet and sour flavours that tingle our senses in just the right way.

100g salted butter
75g light brown sugar
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
100g golden syrup
250g self-raising flour
1 ½ tbsp ground ginger
1sp bicarbonate of soda
1 egg yolk (beaten)

1. Heat the oven to 190 C and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, sugar, fresh ginger and golden syrup and leave to cool.
3. Mix the flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Gradually stir in the cooled sugar mixture and the egg yolk. Knead briefly to make a dough.
4. Roll the dough into 20g balls and put on the prepared baking trays with 3 cm between each to allow for spreading.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, then leave to cool on trays for a minute.
6. Serve warm or let cool in the fridge.

One of the most famous Scandinavian Easter treats are the marzipan animal-shaped sweets that adorn almost every tablescape. A favourite amongst both children and adults, these edible animal friends taste both mouthwateringly good, look adorable and come in all shapes and sizes – from miniature chickens to lifesize rabbits.

1 dl of almond flour
2 dl of powdered sugar
1 tsp of almond extract
2 tbsp of water
Food colouring of your choice
2 egg whites

1. Place the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and process until fully combined and finely powdered. This takes approximately two minutes. Pause a couple of times to scrape the sides and corners with a rubber spatula.
2. Add the almond extract and water and run the food processor until the mixture comes together into a smooth ball, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. If the mixture is still too dry to come together after 2 minutes, add extra water (a teaspoon at a time). It should come together into a thick paste resembling fondant icing or playdough.
4. Remove the marzipan from the food processor onto a clean surface. Use your hands to gently knead the marzipan on the counter for about 30 seconds, just to ensure everything is evenly combined and smooth.
5. Roll the marzipan into a log and leave in the refrigerator until firm.
6. Crack open the eggs and add the egg whites into a small bowl.
7. Once firm, start moulding the marzipan into your desired shape. Use your hands to form the dough into your animal of choice and dip the shapes into the egg white to stick them together.
8. Paint the marzipan to add realistic characteristics to your animal of choice.