Fruktsoppa facts for kids

Fruktsoppa (which means "fruit soup" in Swedish, and "sweet soup" or "fruit soup" in Norwegian) is a delicious soup made from fruit. It's usually prepared using dried fruits. People often enjoy it as a dessert dish. Some even call it a "cold fruit pudding"! This special soup is a traditional food in Sweden and Norway.

Long ago, during the cold winter months in countries like Scandinavia, it was hard to find fresh fruits. So, people learned to dry fruits to save them. They used these dried fruits to make many dishes, including fruktsoppa. You can enjoy this soup either warm or cold.

Fruktsoppa can be made with just one type of fruit or with many different fruits. If it's made with lots of different fruits, it might be called blandad fruktsoppa. This is Swedish for "mixed fruit soup."

Fruktsoppa is a very common food in Scandinavian countries. Eating cold soups is also a tradition there. Fruktsoppa is often served during the Christmas holiday season. Sometimes, you might find it as part of a smörgåsbord, which is a Swedish buffet with many dishes. It can also be served with a slice of cake, like coffee cake.

Making Fruktsoppa

A thin, broth-like version of fruktsoppa (Swedish Varma Koppen)

Many different dried fruits can be used to make fruktsoppa. These include dried apricots, apples, blueberries, pears, raisins, currants, cranberries, prunes, grapes, cherries, cloudberries, and peaches.

Other things you might add are tapioca (small starchy pearls), sago (another type of starchy pearl), red wine, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

To make fruktsoppa, you first soak the dried fruits and other ingredients. This helps them soften up. Then, you add water and cook the mixture until it becomes thick.

You can serve fruktsoppa as a cold soup. It can even be stored for a while without needing a refrigerator. Some people say it tastes even better if you let it sit for several hours before eating it. This allows all the flavors to mix together really well. You can even make fruktsoppa using a slow cooker.

In the United States, fruktsoppa has also been made and served both hot and cold. Sometimes, it's even used as a sauce before meals.