Have a pastry on Gustav Adolf Day

Today is Gustav Adolf Day in Sweden, a public flag day that still remains in the calendar as homage to the late “war hero” and defender of Protestantism King Gustav II Adolf who died in the fogs of Lützen on 6 November 1632. Though the day may not be what it once was, a day as close to a national holiday as one can come with large gatherings with torches singing and chanting for the late King, and soldiers across the country paying their homage to one of the world’s greatest military leaders in history, the day is still one that makes many Swedes indulge in a pastry.

The history of the famous pastry is long and many want to take credit for it. But it all began when candies with the King’s embossment were sold and confectioners competed to make the best sugar model of the King’s statue on the square named after him during the 1900’s. The origin of the pastry we know today, or the more famous one as there are some varieties still, comes from the Bräutigams patisserie in Gothenburg, who came up with the idea to make a pastry with the King’s embossed head as décor on top. The base of the cake can be meringue, sponge cake or short crust. Two of the more traditional varieties is a rectangular sponge base filled with butter cream tasting of chocolate and lemon, or a so called “princess pastry” with sponge cake base, whipped cream, jam and green marzipan on the outside. Common for all Gustav Adolf pastries is the King’s embossed head in chocolate (sometimes marzipan) on the top. There is really only one exception. A few years a competition was also held to create a modern version of the popular pastry, the result was a three-tier cylinder shape with elderberry and black currant crèmes between the layers and a bright red raspberry cream on top under the chocolate triangles forming a royal crown. No embossed King’s head in other words.

Gustav Adolf Day is especially celebrated in Gothenburg, which Gustav II Adolf gave city privileges in 1621, and were the city’s main square (Gustav Adolf’s Square) - complete with a gigantic statue - is named after him, and in Uppsala were students at the Uppsala University honour their late benefactor who gave them considerable assets. In Finland the Finn-Swedes celebrate Svenska dagen (the Swedish Day), a day which was born in 1908 as defence of the Swedish language’s position in the country and a day when Finn-Swedes gather to celebrate together. One main event is held each year in one of the cities that has a large number of Swedish speaking inhabitants, but in all of Swede-Finland people often meet for little gatherings of folk music, choir singing and other festivities.

Sweden has had several royal Gustav Adolf’s. Except King Gustav II Adolf, there was also King Gustav IV Adolf and King Gustaf VI Adolf, and the current King’s father Prince Gustaf Adolf who died in a plane crash before a chance to assume kingship. The name Gustav supposedly means göternas stöd (the support of the Goths) while Adolf means wolf or noble fighter. There are 5 or less persons named Gustav Adolf in Sweden today, but about 78,265 males named Gustav and 4,032 males named Adolf.