How to host a Hygge-style Coffee Morning
What is hygge?
Hygge, pronounced like "hooga" celebrates the small joys of life and connecting with friends and family.
It is about switching off from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It's places importance on relaxing, being cosy, catching up with loved ones and enjoying a bit of food together. To Scandinavians, hygge is an essential part of their culture.
Autumn and winter is often a prime time for hygge. This is because it is often associated with comfort and warmth, like a cosy blanket and a mug of hot chocolate.
Many themes of hygge are similar to Coffee Morning. Read on to find out more about how you can bring some hygge magic to your Coffee Morning event.
Inviting your guests to your hygge-themed Coffee Morning
Hygge often focuses on the simple things in life. Here are some ways you can promote your Hygge themed Coffee Morning.
Make it personal by creating your own invites
A fun and easy way to bring hygge to your Coffee Morning is to use your creative side when you make your invites. You could even add a personal message to those who you are inviting to your event.
Hygge often focuses on connecting with nature, and this may influence the type of design you choose for your invitations. You could include motifs and drawings of things such as tree or flowers for your invitations. You could even take it up a notch and try using physical elements of nature in your designs like pressed flowers and leaves.
Have a small gathering with people you're closest to
Coffee Morning doesn't mean you have to host a large event. What matters is bringing people you care about together.
Plus it's easier to achieve that hygge cosiness in a smaller group setting.
Top tip: Hosting a Coffee Morning dinner party is a great way to do a Hygge-themed event.
No fuss, make it informal
Hygge is all about comfort. Tell your guests to come wearing clothes that they're comfortable in. If your Coffee Morning is during cooler weather, think big fuzzy jumpers, cosy socks and anything else that keeps you warm.
If your guests are bringing food, think comfort food
A fun way you can stick to the Hygge theme and involve your guests is to ask them to bring their favourite comfort food. This could be something that they eat that brings them joy. It could also be a dish that reminds them of fond memories.
Many Hygge themed recipes focus on meals that not only provide nutrition but also feed the soul.
Creating a hygge atmosphere
Hygge focuses on warmth and connection. Creating the right atmosphere will help your guests feel relaxed and comfortable.
Some ways you can do this:
- Candles - Soft lighting will help you create a hygge atmosphere. You could use simple tea lights or scented candles around your venue. If you use scented candles, try ones with scents that promote relaxation like lavender or frankincense.
- Soft blankets and cushions will help make your guests feel comfortable. If it's a cold day, give your guests blankets and throws to keep them warm while they enjoy your Coffee Morning treats. It could also be nice to provide cosy cushions on different seats throughout your venue.
- Have a minimalist table setting - if you're having a Coffee Morning dinner party or want to decorate a table for your Coffee Morning food, sometimes less is more. You could use cotton or linen napkins and handcrafted mugs. Bring an element of nature to your Coffee Morning by using wooden trays to display your food.
- Muted, neutral but cosy colours - When it comes to Hygge, simple is the best. When decorating for your Coffee Morning, try to use soft colours like dusty pink, earthy browns and other muted autumnal or winter colours.
- Textures - a way to elevate your space without using loud colours is to use different textures. Think soft faux fur blankets and throws, or textured cushion covers.
Hygge food and drink ideas
Warm drinks
A hot drink on a cold day is one of life's simple pleasures. Just the smell of fresh coffee in the air can elevate your Hygge-themed Coffee Morning. Don't forget to provide variety by also providing tea (including herbal teas) and hot chocolate at your Coffee Morning.
Read our blog about 8 drinks you can serve at your Coffee Morning if you need inspiration.
Fresh pastries
An easy way to bring Hygge to your Coffee Morning is to have different pastries for people to enjoy with their coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Don't have the time to bake these from scratch? You can often find bake-at-home pastries like Pain Au Chocolate in the frozen food aisle. A bonus from baking these is that your home or venue will smell like delicious fresh baked goods - sure to get your Coffee Morning attendees excited!
Want to test your baking skills? Why not try making the cinnamon buns featured in our blog about hosting a Fika themed Coffee Morning.
Comfort food
Hygge is all about comfort food.
When you hear the term 'comfort food' you may think of wholesome, rich meals that remind you of happy memories. Or perhaps it's a luxurious brownie or layered cakes filled with jam and cream.
You can enjoy a slice of something nice for your hygge-themed Coffee Morning, so serving comfort food at your event makes sense!
Hygge themed Coffee Morning recipes
Ingredients
For the cake
- 285g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 50g butter
- 2.3dl milk
- 240g plain flour
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2tsp baking powder
For the coconut topping
- 110g butter
- 150g shredded coconut
- 225g brown sugar
- 1/2dl milk
For the coconut topping
- 110g butter
- 150g shredded coconut
- 225g brown sugar
- 1/2dl milk
How to make the Drømmekage (Danish dream cake)
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Prepare a 22 x 33cm baking tray or pan. Grease and flour the tray or use parchment to line the tray so cake doesn't stick to the tray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy, which should take about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, stir in the milk and vanilla extract. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour and baking powder.
- Gradually add the flour and baking powder to the egg and sugar mixture, alternating with the milk-butter mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, you want a smooth batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking tray and spread it out evenly.
- Place the baking tray in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and almost ready.
Coconut topping
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, shredded coconut, and milk and bring the saucepan to a boil. Cook and stir this mixture for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly and set aside for when the cake is ready.
- When the cake is ready, carefully spread the coconut topping evenly over the cake. Bake the cake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Allow the Drømmekage to cool in the pan for a while before cutting it into squares or rectangles.
View the Instagram reel to see the steps on how to make the cake.
Swedish almond cake
The recipe was adapted with permission from the original recipe by Patisserie Makes Perfect.
Ingredients
Almond sponge
- 5 egg whites
- 120g caster sugar
- 150g ground almonds
Cream filling
- 4 leaves of gelatine
- 5 egg yolks
- 100g double cream
- 60g caster sugar
- 175g unsalted butter (diced)
Icing
- 400g white chocolate (chips or chopped)
- 100ml flavourless vegetable oil
Caramelised almonds
- 50g whole almonds
- 50g icing sugar
How to make the Swedish almond cake
- Preheat the oven to 180C Fan / 200C / Gas 4. Draw two 25cm circles on baking parchment and lay each on a separate baking tray.
- To make the almond layers, whisk the egg whites in a bowl. You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer. Mix until they are stiff. Carefully fold in the sugar and ground almonds.
- Divide the almond mixture equally between the baking paper circles and smooth it out. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, turn the trays around so they cook evenly. Remove the oven and turn out onto a board and carefully remove the baking parchment. Leave it to cool.
- Meanwhile soak the gelatine for the cream in cold for 10 minutes. Stir together the egg yolks, cream and sugar in a pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then stir constantly over a medium heat, until it simmers and thickens. Squeeze out the gelatine and dissolve it in the cream mixture. Remove the heat and leave to cool slightly. Add the diced butter and gradually stir it in. Place in a bowl, cover the surface with cling film and place in the fridge for around an hour.
- Spread half the cream over an almond disc, lay the other on top and cover with the remaining cream.
- To make the icing, place the white chocolate with the oil in a heatproof bowl over simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water), stirring to combine. Use to cover the cake.
- For the caramelised nuts, preheat the oven to 180C Fan / 200C / Gas 4. Toast the almonds on a baking tray in the centre of the oven for around 8 minutes. Add them to a saucepan, sprinkle with icing sugar and let them caramelise, stirring constantly. Decorate the cake with the almonds.
Need more inspiration on what to bake? View our recipes including vegan and free from to get you Coffee Morning ready.
Hygge activities for your Coffee Morning
Knitting, crotchet, needle felt and embroidery
A fun and relaxing way to get your guests involved in your Coffee Morning is to encourage them to do crafts at your event. They can bring projects they're already working on or you can do something together as a group.
Quiz your guests
A really easy and simple way to entertain your guests is to do a quiz. You could use our Coffee Morning quiz.
Alternatively, you could make it about the theme Hygge and test your guests knowledge on the subject.
Host a Coffee Morning
Join us on Friday 26 September, or whenever is easiest for you, and host a Coffee Morning.
Once you've signed up, we will send you a fundraising kit with everything to get you Coffee Morning ready.
Top tip: Can't host a Coffee Morning this September? A hygge themed Coffee Morning is perfect for bringing people together during the festive period.
About the author
Kerstin Felton
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