Finnish Cakes Recipes

FINNISH PANCAKES

Steps:

• Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until slightly warm, 20 to 30 seconds. Whisk in butter. Whisk in eggs. Add flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt; blend briefly with an immersion blender to make a smooth batter.
• Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle and cook until bottom is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

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.

MARJA-LEENA'S FINNISH CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie plate.
• Combine 1/2 cup butter and 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1 egg until well blended. Beat in flour and baking powder. Chill crust mixture for 30 minutes.
• Spread crust mixture into the greased pie plate.
• Combine cottage cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup melted butter, almonds, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour over crust in the pie plate.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, about 40 minutes.

FINNISH TIIKERIKKAKKU, TIGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Grease and flour a bundt pan.
• Beat butter and sugar together until creamy.
• Sift together flour and baking powder.
• Alternatively, add eggs and flour to the batter until all are combined.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Place 1/3 of cake batter into separate mixing bowl; stir in cocoa and juice of 1/2 orange.
• In original bowl, stir in all of orange zest and juice of remaining 1/2 orange.
• Spread 1/3 of orange batter evenly in bottom of bundt pan.
• Gently dribble half of chocolate batter on top with a spoon or frosting bag.
• Repeat layers, ending with orange batter on top.
• Bake on center rack of oven for 1 hour or until cake tests done.

FINNISH MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Place shortening in a large bowl. Add boiling water; stir until shortening is melted. In a small bowl, mix flour and salt. Add to shortening mixture; stir until a soft ball forms. Cover and refrigerate until cooled, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 350°. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough portion into a 17x13-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Press onto bottom and up sides of dish. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of dish., In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients. Spoon into pastry. Roll out remaining dough into a 13x9-in. rectangle. Place over filling. Fold bottom pastry over top pastry; press with a fork to seal. In a small bowl, whisk egg and milk; brush over pastry. Cut slits in top. Bake 1-1/4 hours or until golden brown.

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.