Finnish Cakes Food

FINNISH CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter, 1/4 cup of the sugar and almond extract. Stir in the flour. Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Place the dough between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to roll into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into strips 2 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide.
• Combine the remaining tablespoon of sugar with the almonds. Use a pastry brush to coat the top of the cookies with egg white. Sprinkle with the almond and sugar mixture. Carefully transfer cookies to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake to a delicate brown, 17 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Cookies can be frozen in an airtight container, with wax paper between each layer for up to 6 months. Defrost 30 minutes before serving.

FINNISH STRAWBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and flour a 9-Inch springform pan with unflavored breadcrumbs or regular flour. Combine eggs and sugar and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture turns white and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract. Mix both flours and baking powder in a separate bowl. Carefully fold the flour mixture through a sieve into the egg/sugar batter and mix only until smooth. Pour the cake batter into the baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes until the cake starts pulling off the sides of the cake pan and the top is brown.
• Let the cake cool down and use a serrated knife to cut into 2 or 3 layers (depending on size). Mix milk/apple juice with vanilla extract. Moisten the cake layers with the mixture, but avoid soaking them.
• Whip half of the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla sugar together for until it forms soft peaks for the whipped cream. Cut half of the strawberries in slices. Add a little whipped cream on the bottom layer of the cake and top it with a layer of sliced strawberries. Add the middle layer of the cake and top it with whip cream and strawberries as before. Place the remaining layer on top and wrap the cake in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for couple of hours.
• Whip the remaining the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla sugar together. Spread the whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake. Place whole strawberries on top to finish.

FINNISH RIBBON CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until creamy.
• Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon peel.
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour and salt.
• Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, blending thoroughly.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or leave ungreased).
• Shape dough into two logs about 1-inch in diameter and as long as your baking sheets.
• With the side of your little finger, press a long trench - lengthwise - down the center of each log. DO NOT press all the way down to the cookie sheet or your jam will leak out.
• Bake logs for 10 minutes.
• Remove logs from oven and spoon jam into the trenches.
• Return to oven for 5 - 10 minutes or until logs are firm to touch and a light golden brown.
• In a small bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice.
• While cookies are hot, drizzle them with the confectioner's sugar mixture (or spread along the sides of the logs).
• Cut at a 45 degree angle into 1 inch lengths.
• Let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet.
• Transfer to racks and let cool completely.
• Store in single layers in an airtight container.

KERMAKAKKU (FINNISH SOUR CREAM CAKE)

Steps:

• Cream the eggs, sugar, sour cream, almond, and ground cardamom.
• Sift together the flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and mix with egg mixture.
• Butter a tube or Bundt pan and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Pour batter into pan.
• Bake at 350° for 1hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool before removing from pan.
• Sprinkle turned out cake with powdered sugar.