Muffins with a touch of Norwegian gold
Streusel with cloudberries and warm spices are a perfect way to welcome fall
Photo: Maria Stordahl Nelson
Jam made from “Norwegian Gold” brings these streusel muffins to life.
Maria Stordahl Nelson
Seattle, Wash.
It’s fair to say that I will likely never get the opportunity to taste a cloudberry in the wild. Rare and highly prized, they have earned the fitting moniker, “Norwegian Gold.” Their inability to be cultivated, along with their delicious flavor and golden, amber hue, makes them for many all the more an alluring treasure. There is something about fruit such as this that satisfies on such a fundamental level. Its ties to place, to identity, to culture and heritage are rich and ultimately, as a result, more satisfying on the palate.
Fortunately, cloudberry jam is available commercially and though the likelihood of a trip to the Artic in the near future is out, I can still content myself with enjoying it thus in many recipes.
Typically eaten on waffles, gently folded into whipped cream, or served warm atop ice cream at our house, I’ve also discovered that it tastes wonderful when served alongside various cheeses and crisp breads. Cloudberry jam also makes a delectable filling for layer cakes. I recently decided to mix things up a bit and began adding the jam in swirling dollops to our favorite, cinnamon-scented streusel muffins. It’s a perfect match of flavors and a warm and delicious way to welcome fall.
Cloudberry Streusel Muffins
Photo: Maria Stordahl Nelson
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
zest from half a lemon
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tbsps. butter, softened
Muffins
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsps. baking powder
zest from half a lemon
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup whole fat milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup cloudberry jam
pearl sugar for garnish
In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the streusel topping. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Whisk lightly to break up any lumps.
Combine the milk and butter in a large separate bowl, then whisk in the egg. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking to fully incorporate.
Fill each muffin liner half full. Dollop 2 teaspoons of cloudberry jam into each well, then swirl the batter and jam together using a toothpick or skewer. Top with 1 tablespoon of streusel topping. Sprinkle pearl sugar on top if desired.
Place the muffin tin on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes, then remove muffins from tin for further cooling.
Makes 12 muffins.
Maria Stordahl Nelson is a Seattle-area food writer, photographer, and recipe developer. She shares her love of all things sweet, savory, and sometimes Nordic at www.pinkpatisserie.net.
This article originally appeared in the Oct. 23, 2015, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
