Norwegian Sour Cream Porridge (Rømmegrøt) — Festive Dairy Porridge with Cinnamon Sugar

• 1⅓ lbfull-fat cultured sour cream (35 percent fat; Norwegian seterrømme if available)
• 3.2 ozall-purpose flour
• 1½ cupwhole milk (warmed to 60 C)
• 3 gfine sea salt
• 1⅔ ozgranulated sugar
• 2 tspground cinnamon

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the sour cream in a heavy 2 l saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat until it barely trembles at the edges. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until small beads of yellow butterfat begin to rise.

2. 2

   Reduce the heat to low and whisk in 45 g of the flour in a thin, steady stream. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring constantly, because this first flour addition helps the cream release its fat without scorching.

3. 3

   When a clear layer of butterfat appears, spoon 45 ml of it into a warm small bowl and reserve it for serving. Leave any remaining fat in the pan, since it helps the porridge stay glossy and authentically rich.

4. 4

   Whisk in the remaining 45 g flour and cook for 2 minutes, keeping the heat low so the mixture thickens without catching on the bottom. Add the warm milk in 50 ml additions, whisking fully after each addition before adding the next.

5. 5

   Simmer the porridge for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring slowly with a wooden spoon, until it is smooth, thick, and gently elastic. Stir in the salt, then let the rømmegrøt stand off the heat for 3 minutes so the texture settles.

6. 6

   Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then ladle the hot porridge into 4 warm bowls. Spoon 11 ml reserved butterfat over each serving and sprinkle each bowl with 12 g cinnamon sugar, serving lefse and brunost on the side rather than mixing them into the porridge.