The hugely popular Norwegian almond ring cake is not actually only a Christmas cake, as it’s also eaten at weddings, on 17th May (Norway’s Constitution Day) and other special occasions. The traditional version is made up of 18 rings (krans means wreath in Norwegian), layered on top of each other to form a conical pyramid towering over the dessert table. A set of special metallic forms are used to make the cake rings. It is then common to add icing sugar or glazing, and decorate the cake with tiny Norwegian flags. Many Norwegians bake their own cake (recipes in English are readily available on the internet), or you can buy one from most bakeries (order a few days beforehand). The main ingredients in the kransekake are almonds, sugar and egg whites – interestingly no flour is used. The best kransekake? It should be hard on the outside, while soft and chewy inside.