Lingonberry Recipes

Lingonberry recipes are Scandinavian staples. Lingonberries became popular, in part, because they contain natural preservatives and pectin that meant lingonberries could be kept for months at room temperature simply by placing them in jars of water.

Lingonberries are to Scandinavians what blueberries are to Minnesotans...an abundant wild fruit that is free for the taking by anyone with a basket or a bucket and the patience to pick through and clean their harvest.

These tart red berries grow on low, evergreen shrubs throughout Scandinavia's forests and are smaller and juicier than their relative the cranberry.

You can use lingonberries in any recipe that calls for other berries like blueberries, blackberries or cranberries. Some of the most popular lingonberry recipes include lingonberry jam, lingonberry crêpes, lingonberry muffins and lingonberry torte.

You may find some Scandinavian festivals and events where you can try lingonberry recipes. Look for them when you visit Minnesota.

Lingonberry Jam

Scandinavians traditionally made rårörda lingon, an easy lingonberry jam (no cooking required), by stirring the raw berries with a small amount of sugar...the most simple of lingonberry recipes. Here is a slightly more detailed lingonberry jam recipe:

Lingonberry Jam Ingredients:

• 4 lb Lingonberries
• 3 c sugar
• 4 c water

Lingonberry Jam Directions:

• Place lingonberries and water in a large cooking pot and bring to a boil. Boil for a couple of minutes and skim off any foam from the surface.
• Stir in sugar, then simmer, uncovered, on low heat for 15 minutes.
• Ladle the jam into sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Cover with lids and screw on rings. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal.
• Refrigerate the lingonberry jam once the jar has been opened.

Note: Lingonberry jam has been made popular in the United States by the well-known IKEA superstores where it is sold in large quantities, including buckets.

Lingonberry Muffins

As with most lingonberry recipes, lingonberries can be substituted for other fruits like blueberries or raspberries in most recipes. This is the case with this muffin recipe.

Lingonberry Muffin Ingredients:

• 2 c. flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. soft butter
• 1 tbsp. grated orange rind
• 3/4 c. orange juice
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 3/4 c. lingonberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar together in a larger bowl. Add the egg and mix well. Add orange juice, orange rind, vanilla and cinnamon and mix until combined.
• Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
• Gently fold in the lingonberries. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes.

Lingonberry Crêpes

This lingonberry crepe recipe with a cream cheese filling is similar to one that was once served at IHOP® restaurants.

Ingredients for the crêpes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Pinch of salt

Directions for Crêpes:

• Sift the flour into a medium bowl. Make a well in the center.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and salt. Add to the flour and whip to a smooth batter. Refrigerate the batter for two hours.
• Heat a nine-inch crêpe pan on medium high heat. Brush with butter.
• Measure batter into the hot pan. Immediately tilt and rotate the pan so that the batter covers the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.
• Cook until bubbles appear and the bottom of the crêpe is a nice even, golden brown.
• Use a thin, sturdy spatula to turn the crêpe. Cook the second side only it is lightly browned.
• Remove the crêpe to a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper and repeat with the rest of the batter.

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:

• 12 ounces cream cheese
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup walnut pieces, finely chopped
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients together with an electric mixer, until the mixture is smooth.

Assemble The Crêpes:

• Fill each crêpe with a portion of the cream cheese filling then fold edges over the filling.
• Spoon some of the lingonberry mixture over each crêpe.
• Garnish with whipped cream.

Lingonberry Torte

Here is one of our personal favorite lingonberry recipes.

Lingonberry Torte Ingredients:

• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• Lingonberry jam
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Coffee flavored Butter Cream Frosting
• 4 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine chocolate and milk in the top of a double boiler. Cook over hot water until chocolate melts, stirring frequently. Cool.

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together and set aside.

Beat the eggs and additional egg yolk with a rotary or electric mixer until light and thick. Add sugar gradually and continue beating hard until mixture is very smooth.

Stir in almond extract, then the chocolate milk mixture.

Sift flour mixture on top and fold in gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into 2 greased 9 inch cake pans and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 325° and continue baking 25 to 30 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

Cool several minutes, then invert on a cake rack to cool completely.

Spread lingonberry jam between layers.

Frost the top with coffee flavor Butter Cream Frosting.

If you are looking for lingonberries or lingonberry jam in ethnic European food markets, you may also find them called red whortleberries, cowberries, fox berries, mountain cranberries, mountain bilberries, or partridgeberries. They will all be the same ingredients for your lingonberry recipes!

Pronunciation: LIN-GHUN-BERRIES Also Known As: Tyttebær (in Norwegian and Danish), rauðber (in Icelandic), puolukka(in Finnish), and lingon (in Swedish).

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