Rømmegrøt
A festive dish of rural Norway — traditionally served on Midsummer Eve, at weddings and to guests. It is porridge made from thick sour cream and flour, thinned with hot milk, served with a pool of melted butterfat, sugar and cinnamon. The most interesting part happens in the pot: once the flour goes in, golden fat separates from the cream, which is skimmed off and poured over the porridge in the bowl. It works only with rich sour cream, at least 30% fat.
Your own work in that: 8 min.
- Simmering the cream 7 min
- Flour and fat 5 min
- Milk 10 min
- Serving 3 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneBring the sour cream to the boil
In a heavy-based pot bring the sour cream to the boil and simmer gently 5 minutes, stirring. It must have at least 30% fat — leaner cream will not release its fat.
Ingredients: 400 g thick sour cream, 30–36% · 70 g plain flour · 600 ml whole milk · ½ tsp salt
Rich sour cream, simmered 5 minutes.Add part of the flour
Sift half the flour into the cream and whisk vigorously until it thickens.
Ingredients: 400 g thick sour cream, 30–36% · 70 g plain flour · 600 ml whole milk · ½ tsp salt
Wait for the fat to separate
Keep cooking over low heat, stirring. After a few minutes golden fat appears on the surface and at the edges. Skim it into a small bowl with a spoon — it is for pouring over the porridge.
Ingredients: 400 g thick sour cream, 30–36% · 70 g plain flour · 600 ml whole milk · ½ tsp salt
Golden fat on top — skim it off with a spoon.Add the rest of the flour
Add the remaining flour and stir until the porridge is very thick and smooth.
Ingredients: 400 g thick sour cream, 30–36% · 70 g plain flour · 600 ml whole milk · ½ tsp salt
Thin with hot milk
Heat the milk almost to the boil and pour it in gradually, whisking constantly, until the porridge is smooth and creamy, like thick custard.
Ingredients: 400 g thick sour cream, 30–36% · 70 g plain flour · 600 ml whole milk · ½ tsp salt
Milk gradually — the porridge stays smooth.Cook a few minutes more
Cook over low heat 5–8 minutes, stirring from the bottom, so the flour cooks through. Season with salt — a pinch of salt brings out the sweetness of the sugar and cinnamon.
Ingredients: 400 g thick sour cream, 30–36% · 70 g plain flour · 600 ml whole milk · ½ tsp salt
Prepare the toppings
Mix the sugar with the cinnamon. If little fat separated from the cream, top it up with melted butter.
Ingredients: 30 g butter, melted · 2 tbsp sugar · 1 tsp cinnamon
Serve with fat, sugar and cinnamon
Spoon the hot porridge into bowls, make a well in the centre, pour in the golden fat and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. In Norway it often comes with a glass of red fruit cordial, such as redcurrant, and cured meats alongside.
Ingredients: 30 g butter, melted · 2 tbsp sugar · 1 tsp cinnamon
Before you start
Which sour cream
Norwegians use seterrømme, 35% fat sour cream. Otherwise look for 30% sour cream, or mix 400 ml whipping cream (30%) with 2 tablespoons of sour cream and leave it overnight at room temperature, until thick.
Sweet or with cured meats
Rømmegrøt is often the main dish of a festive meal, with slices of cured ham and sausage alongside. Day to day a smaller portion makes a dessert.
Reheating
The porridge thickens as it cools. Reheat it with a little milk, whisking. It keeps 2 days in the fridge.
