Norwegian Chocolate Cake

This is a family recipe which my mother has made every Christmas until she stopped being able to manage cooking.

In the past, I managed to find a single recipe which seemed to be much the same as this one. Currently, there seem to be hundreds of recipes on the internet for things called Norwegian Chocolate Cake. Every single one in a recent search was a VEGAN (!!!!)  recipe. Firstly, I don’t see the point. And secondly, they are all basically a chocolate cake. These are squares and they are… to die for….

The recipe was a traditional one given to my grandmother by the wife of the leader of the Norwegian Army in exile in Dumfries, Scotland, during WWII.

Grandmother’s Recipe

This is what they should look like. This photo is from an Indian Food website and are called Kek Mari, because they use Marie Biscuits. I can’t find a corresponding recipe. The only difference visually is that there appear to be sesame seeds on the top.

“Kek Mari”

There is another similar recipe to mine that I just found for “Chocolate Hedgehog“.

Norwegian Chocolate Cake

1/2 lb. arrowroot cookies (broken into quarters)
1/2 lb. butter
1/2 lb. sugar
1/4 lb. semi-sweet chocolate squares
1 tbsp. cocoa
3 eggs

Line a 7″ square baking tin with lightly greased paper. Place half the broken biscuits evenly into the pan and place the pan into the refrigerator.

Break the butter and chocolate squares into same-sized pieces.

While the water in the bottom of the double-boiler is coming to a boil, mix together the eggs, sugar and cocoa in the top half, of the (cold) double-boiler and then place it onto the bottom.

Stir constantly, until the sugar has melted and the mixture heated.

While continuing to stir, gradually add the chocolate pieces and butter alternately, allowing each piece to completely melt before adding the next. When all the butter and chocolate has been melted in (about an hour) and completely smooth, remove the pan from the heat.

Pour half the mixture into the chilled baking pan.

Add the remaining biscuits into the remaining half of the chocolate mixture and stir gently and briefly, just to coat the biscuits, and then spoon this mixture into the baking pan, distributing everything evenly in the pan.

Let cool, and covering the pan with pan with parchment or plastic wrap, leave in the fridge for several days.

After a few days, turn the cake out of the pan onto a plate, cover again, and refrigerate for two more days.

Cut into squares and serve.

There is simply no way of adequately describing the taste. I suppose the chocolate part is sort of like a very thick ganache but as it matures for several days, it becomes chewy and the cookies softer. They are to DIE for….

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