What Is Swedish Fika? 🍰

One specific word in Swedish has no translation to other languages - "fika." You can only describe the meaning of it when you understand a little bit about Swedish culture in the sense of balance between responsibilities and a time for yourself, a time for pleasure. Wherever you are -  at work, traveling or hiking, spending a busy weekend with kids' - you need to take a break and relax with some coffee and sweets to get energy for your further activity. So what's the Swedish fika? Let's find out.

Two ladies enjoying fika in a cafe in the heart of Malmö.

The word "fika" can be a noun or verb. It's versatile, and new Swedish learners (like me) love it. You can invite your friend to have coffee together, or you can be invited by your boss at work as well. You can have a job interview doing fika, or you can have fika with your classmates in a language school. Ultimately, it is a break to rest with some coffee and sweets, but it is also about enjoying life and communication.

The tradition started in the XIX century with the development of industry. People needed to rest during the working day, and even today, in work contracts in Swedish companies, you may meet the time for fika in your daily schedule.

So what's included besides coffee? Of course, cinnamon buns. There is no cafe I met so far without cinnamon buns. Seasonal variations can be saffron buns (Swedish: lussekatter) or cardamom buns - all fluffy, aromatic, and incredibly delicious. Remember when Karlsson from Astrid Lindgren's book and Lillebror enjoyed freshly baked cinnamon buns on a sofa? My son loves that moment in the book. That was fika.

Another custom is to serve seven types of cookies. They say that when you visit your Swedish granny, she will treat you with the exact number of different delicious homemade cookies. No less, no more. Swedes like accuracy. I have some recipes for them in my Swedish cookbook I wrote about previously, so one day, I will post those cookie recipes here (though I'm not a grandmother yet).

A woman on a cafe terrace in the center of Malmö.

The coziest place for fika I've met so far - a cafe in Torup's Castle near Malmö.

But let's discuss more fancy fika in a cafe.

Sweden has such an incredible variety of sweets! It reminds me of our cafes in my hometown, Odesa, Ukraine, but in a certain Nordic way. Swedes like cream and marzipan, and I found it delicious too! They also have a fantastic seasonal dessert - strawberry cake, which we also bake in Ukraine, and I already have the recipe in my blog.

There are some iconic Swedish cakes you may meet in cafes, and Princess cake (Swedish: prinsesstårta) is the most exquisite and delightful, in my humble opinion. It has a minimalist light green design with a little pink marzipan rose on the top, and it is usually served as a birthday cake. It consists of the lightest sponge layers with pastry cream and whipped cream on top, covered in marzipan. Sometimes, there is also a raspberry jam, making it even more rich and full of flavor.

Another Swedish classic is kladkaka - sticky chocolate cake served with unsweetened whipped cream. I love this method of whipping cream without adding sugar because natural milk and cream already contain natural sugars. High-quality chocolate in kladkaka makes the perfect duo with cream on a plate, accomplishing a cup of coffee.

You may also find an äpplepaj (apple pise) in many cafes, which they serve with vanilla sauce - some sort of pastry cream. All the cakes and pies are served with souses here, actually. And I personally love this!

Also, you can't do your winter after-Christmas fika without a beautiful fluffy semla - a light cardamom bun with marzipan and whipped cream, the dessert you'll be a fan of from the first bite! 

Gorgeous desserts in cafe Hollandia, Malmö.

Incredibly delicious semla in Cafe Hollandia.

Semla is the top of the Swedish pastry tradition and deserves a separate blog post. Last winter, I made my own investigation about this dessert, and I can assure you it is the queen of all sweets, but it is seasonal, and those dark winter days after Christmas are brightened up by fika with hot coffee and whipped cream and cardamom aroma of semla...

Swedes can enjoy life, it is proved. Because what other nation has the analog of fika? I think it is the thing we all should learn from them.

So whatever happens, don't forget to take a break and enjoy fika!

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