Fruktsoppa

 

From Time/Life's Foods of the World - The Cooking of Scandinavia (1968):

 

To serve 6 to 8:

 

3/4 cup dried apricots

3/4 cup dried prunes

6 cups cold water

1 cinnamon stick

2 lemon slices, 1/4-inch thick

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons raisins

1 tablespoon dried currants

1 tart cooking apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

 

Soak the dried apricots and prunes in 6 cups of cold water for 30 minutes. Since the dried fruit expands considerably as it absorbs the soaking liquid, you will need a saucepan (of stainless steel or enamel) with a capacity of at least 3 quarts. Add the cinnamon stick, lemon slices, tapioca and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent the fruits from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

 

Stir in the raisins, currants, and apple slices and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until the apples are tender and offer no resistance when pierced with a sharp knife. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a large serving bowl and let them cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the bowl in the refrigerator to chill. Serve the fruit soup in compote dishes or soup bowls as a light year-round dessert.