Appelkram, Swedish Apple Snow with Cardamom
Appelkram, sometimes called apple snow, is the thrifty Swedish pudding that turns a glut of autumn apples into dessert with almost nothing else. The apples are stewed soft, sweetened only by dates, and set to a soft, glossy body with potato starch, the same northern starch used to thicken fruit soups and sauces. Cardamom and cinnamon give it the warm spicing of a Scandinavian kitchen, and a squeeze of lemon keeps it bright. Served cold in a shallow pool of unsweetened soy milk, it is light, clean, and carries no added sugar. Make it a day ahead; it only sets better overnight.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Apples, peeled, cored, chopped
- 4 wholes Deglet noor dates, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Green cardamom, seeds ground
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Potato starch
- 1 cup Unsweetened soy milk, cold, to serve
Method
- Simmer the apples with the dates, cinnamon, cardamom, and 1.5 cups (350 ml) water in a covered pot over medium heat until the fruit is completely soft, about 15 minutes. The dates melt down and sweeten the whole pot, which is why no sugar is needed; tart cooking apples work best here because their acidity keeps it from cloying.
- Mash the apples smooth against the side of the pot, or blend for a finer texture, then stir in the lemon juice. Lemon keeps the apple pale and bright and sharpens the sweetness the dates bring.
- Whisk the potato starch into 0.25 cup (60 ml) cold water, then stir it into the simmering apple and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until it turns glossy and thick. This is what makes it krem rather than sauce: the starch sets it to a soft, spoonable body as it cools, with no gelatin and no egg.
- Scrape into a bowl, cover the surface directly with a lid or wrap so it does not skin over, and chill for at least an hour. It thickens as it cools, so serve it cold; the texture is meant to be set and quivering, not warm and loose.
- Spoon into dishes and pour a little cold soy milk around each serving. The pool of unsweetened milk is the traditional finish, a cool, plain counterpoint to the spiced fruit that stands in for the cream Swedes would once have poured.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 150 calories, 3 g protein, 4 g fiber, 30 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
