Christmas Preparations

My Christmas preparations are slowly getting under way with a few decorations here and there, a couple of gifts already wrapped and ready to go. I was surprised to find spruce branches in florist stores for the first time, and despite the needles probably not holding for very long, seized the opportunity to bring a bit of Nordic familiarity into our home. 

Since we are having Christmas in the middle of summer (something I will most likely never get used to), it's all about those little details that I need to get into the Christmas mood. Some familiar foods (certainly not all, as it is too hot to eat the traditional Finnish Christmas meals), traditional songs and decorations from my childhood, as well as sentimental scents are the most important part. 

These candles from my favourite candle company Skandinavisk are essential for Christmas, but the new collection with the most stunning porcelain vessels make a beautiful gift all year around. I will be burning the Heia* candle this Christmas, and its familiar scents are bringing back so many lovely memories from home.

Wishing you a positive week ahead, I will try and drop by again before Christmas to share some more photos, so stay tuned!

*This candle was sent to me as a gift from Skandinavisk with no strings attached. All opinions are my own.

Pikku-Kota Favourites

A few favourites from my online store.

Kuksa (wooden cup) - handmade in Lapland

Table brush and tray by Iris Hantverk

Wooden spoon - handmade in Lapland

Reindeer leather pouch by KERO

Woven pine basket

Large bath brush by Iris Hantverk

Wooden cups - handmade in Lapland

Reindeer leather ipad folder by KERO

A Little Bit of Christmas

It's always hard for me to get into real Christmas spirit whilst in the middle of Australian summer. There's no need/point to burn candles and all the decorations just somehow seem really out of place against the sunny skies and lush green vegetation. Even food I grew up eating at Christmas just doesn't quite work here: oven-baked casseroles, filling salads and a hot cup of glogg are all a bit too much when the temperature reaches 30C and beyond.

I'm keeping the decorations to a minimum and sticking to my usual colour scheme of white and wood. I managed to make a himmeli (a traditional Christmas decoration made of natural straw) of some sort and although it's far from perfect, I'm quite pleased I had the patience to actually finish it. Since we won't have a Christmas tree, I've hung some decorations (hand-made and shop-bought) from tall willow branches we have in our living room all year around. The hand-crafted wooden star hanging on our window (it has a light inside) is quite old; I brought it back from Finland when I was there last year.

I think this is pretty much it for the decorations this year. I haven't even started thinking about what foods I might make, but chances are it will just be something that's quick and easy to make.

Juhannuksen raparperipiirakka - Midsummer's Rhubarb Tart

Finland and other Nordic countries are celebrating Juhannus (Midsummer) this weekend. Although we are in the middle of winter here in Sydney, I felt like making a special treat for the occasion. This rhubarb tart felt quite indulgent, but perfect for a rainy winter's day. Of course it wouldn't be out of place in a summery Finland either.

The recipe reminded me of 'Mamma's Berry Tart', another old favourite of mine, but the base in this rhubarb version was quite different. I used thick Greek yoghurt for the filling and that worked well. The sourness of rhubarb balances the sweet crust.

Juhlimme juhannusta täällä talvisessa Sydneyssä raparperipiirakan voimin. Takana on aika raskas työviikko sairasteluineen, joten piirakkaherkku tuli tarpeeseen. Jatkan viikonloppua viltteihin kääriytyneenä, kirjoja lueskellen ja kuumaa mehua juoden. Ihanaa juhannusta sinne Suomeen!

Midsummer's Rhubarb Tart

(Recipe adapted from Kotiliesi)

150g butter

125g caster sugar

1 egg

50ml water

200g plain flour

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

250g rhubarb pieces

40g caster sugar

2 eggs

200g thick Greek yoghurt, strained

1/4 teaspoon ground vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 200C and grease a pie dish (25cm). 

2. Beat soft butter and sugar in a bowl. Add egg, water and flour mixture. Stir well to combine. Spread the mixture on the bottom and the sides of the dish.

3. Spread rhubarb pieces on the bottom of the base and sprinkle sugar on top. Whisk eggs and yoghurt in a bowl, flavour with vanilla. Spread this mixture evenly on top of the rhubarb. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling has set. Leave to cool before serving. You could serve this with vanilla ice cream, but I think it was sweet enough on its own.

Other Midsummer treats : Crepe cake  

Arabia For Sale

Liekki by Arabia

Series RB by Ulla Procope

6 x ovenproof casseroles with lids
(10 cm diameter, 4 cm deep)

Price: 80AUD for the lot

Ruska by Arabia

4 x ovenproof ramekins
(10 cm diameter, 5 cm deep)

Price: 60AUD for the lot

If you are interested, please email me at scandifoodie @ gmail . com for more information.

Retro Mother's Day Cake

It was another warm and sunny day here on the Northern beaches of Sydney yesterday. We enjoyed a BBQ lunch on our balcony with my husband's parents and I had made this retro cake for dessert. My mum used to make these types of cakes for every birthday (or any other celebration) and I remember how much I loved them back then.

This cake, known simply as "täytekakku" (täyte=filling, kakku=cake), is made of a sponge cake, cut in layers, filled with fruit and topped with whipped cream and fruit (mum would sometimes use lollies for kids' birthday cakes). Like most Finnish desserts, it is not overly sweet and despite the cream topping, it's not heavy at all. 

As you can see, I went all out with 80's style fruit decorations and even added a colourful tray. I am definitely not one to make fiddly fondant decorations, but cutting up fruit and sticking them in cream even I can handle. This cake was as tasty as I remembered from my childhood and a perfect dessert for such a nice day.

Täytekakku

4 large eggs

185g caster sugar

130g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2-3 big tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1 tablespoon pineapple juice

1 banana

1 x tin pineapple pieces

1 x tin sliced peaches, cut in small pieces

300ml cream

1 teaspoon caster sugar

1/4 teaspoons ground vanilla or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

fruit of choice for decoration

1. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl and add to egg-sugar mixture through a sieve. Gently stir to combine. Pour the mixture to a greased and floured tin and bake in 175C for 25-30 minutes.

2. Cut the cooled down cake in 3 layers. Moisten the first two layers with apple sauce and pineapple juice mixture OR with plain milk. Top these two layers with mashed banana, pineapple and peach mixture and place the final layer on top.

3. Sweeten the cream with sugar and vanilla and whip until soft, but stiff enough to stay on the cake. Spread the cream all over the cake and decorate with fruit. Store in the fridge before serving. 

Arki - The Every Day

Hello friends

I am working hard on a new project particularly close to my heart. Hopefully I am able to tell you a bit more about this in the next few weeks. In the mean while, here are a few snapshots of my "arki" - the every day.

Kahvitauko - Coffee Break

Tuttuja makuja - Ruis-kokojyväsämpylät

Familiar Flavours - Rye and Wholemeal Bread Rolls

(Recipe similar to this one)

Kutominen rentouttaa - Knitting is relaxing

Finnish Spinach Soup

There is nothing better than a comforting soup on a rainy day. I made the most of it yesterday and whipped up spinach soup, a childhood favourite served with hard-boiled egg and rye-crispbread with cheese. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, and soon have fresh nettle available, try a similar soup using those instead. I have a recipe here.

It is supposed to be another warm one here today, so no more soups before autumn really sets in.

I am so ready for a cool change, I'm really looking forward to it!

Finnish Spinach Soup

(serves 4)

1 litre organic full-cream milk

3 tablespoons plain flour

200g baby spinach/English spinach/frozen spinach (thawed), blanched and finely chopped

a good pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper or a tiny pinch of white pepper

hard-boiled egg (free-range, organic), to serve

1. Add milk and flour to a saucepan and whisk well to combine. Whisking continuously, bring milk to a boil and add blanched, finely chopped spinach. Let simmer for a further 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and season.

2. Serve with hard-boiled egg and crispbread.

Sweet Potato-Rye Rieska

Freshly baked sweet potato-rye rieska (Finnish flat bread) for breakfast on a Sunday is exactly what I wanted. Sun is peeking through the clouds after two days of rain, autumn is on its way. 

Hetkittäiseen Suomi-ikävään auttaa lähestulkoon aina leipominen. Uunituoreet bataatti-ruisrieskat sunnuntaiaamuna tulivat tarpeeseen. Aurinkokin pilkahtelee jo pilvien lomasta kahden sadepäivän jälkeen. Syksy on saapumassa Australiaan.

Sweet Potato Rye Rieska*

(makes 10 small breads)

(recipe from Ruoka Pirkka)

400g mashed sweet potato

1/2 teaspoon salt

about 140g rye flour

about 100g plain flour

1. Preheat oven to 225C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Add salt to mashed potato, add flour and mix until smooth. Using two spoons, scoop portions of the dough onto the trays. Flatten the breads with flour-dusted fingers. 

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes and serve warm with butter.

* Earlier flat bread recipes here and here.

Karelian Pies ... and a winner!

I have been spoiled rotten for the past few days with gifts and treats from back home. My parents are in town and I have spend some quality time with them: doing DIY home-improvement with dad, baking with mum, and taking numerous coffee breaks in between. This kind of time with my parents is scarcer than hens teeth so I make sure to enjoy it while it lasts.

I told mum I had a hankering for traditional Karelian pies; those rye crusted pies filled with rice porridge and topped with a mixture of egg and butter. We decided to make them one morning and even though they mightn't be the prettiest, they were certainly as tasty as I remembered!

 

 Karelian Pies

(makes about 20)

300ml water

170g short-grain rice, rinsed

1 litre full-cream milk

pinch of salt

300ml water

about 250g rye flour

pinch of salt

50g butter

dash of milk

300ml water

3-4 hard-boiled eggs

100g soft butter

1. Start by making the porridge. Add water to a large pan and bring to boil. Add rice and cook for a couple of minutes. Add milk and bring to a soft boil. Let simmer for about 45 minutes. Add salt and let cool completely.

2. Combine water, salt and rye flour in a bowl. Knead lightly to make a smooth dough. Divide the dough in equal portions and flatten each portion to make a round disk. Cover the disks with cling to avoid drying. Roll one disk at a time into a thin (2-3mm thick) oval, spread a tablespoon of porridge onto the disk, then 'crinkle' the sides in the middle, using your thumb and index finger. Place the pies on baking trays lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven (225C) for about 15 minutes or until the tops are slightly browned.

3. Heat butter, milk and water in a saucepan. Dip each pie in the hot mixture and place in a large casserole (or similar) to soften. Use a fork to mix the eggs with soft butter and serve the pies topped with this mixture. These pies can be frozen (without the topping).

One final note: A big thank you for all those who entered the giveaway for Sarah's new book! I would have loved to give a copy for each one of you and it was simply too difficult to pick a winner just based on your comments so I ended up picking one randomly.

Congratulations Sarah! Here's her winning comment:

I really enjoyed reading your sugar-free journey and although I haven't been able to quite bite the bullet (yet!), I think this book would be a great guide and make the prospect a little less daunting. Our family has always enjoyed fresh, local and healthy food but we all have major sweet tooths, (cakes, biscuits, slices - our Achilles heal!). I think this book will prove to us that food, especially desserts, can still taste great without the white stuff, your rhubarb macaroon slice is already a regular rotation in our house. I also think quitting sugar will really help to clear my mind, recalibrate my palate and hopefully get rid of the horrible headaches I get.

Sarah, please email me your contact details at scandifoodie [at] gmail.com and I will post you the book!

Happy Friendship Day!

We'll be friends forever, won't we Pooh? Asked Piglet.

Even longer, answered Pooh.

(Valentine's Day is known as "ystävänpäivä" (Friend's Day/Friendship Day) in Finland.)

Laskiaispullat - Shrove Tuesday Buns

Happy Shrove Tuesday!

Shrove Tuesday (Laskiaistiistai) buns filled with jam (or marzipan) and whipped cream are a traditional treat in Finland and all over Scandinavia. These buns used to be my favourite as a child and they still taste pretty good! I love the smell of freshly baked pulla (Finnish for bun) - it always reminds me of home where mum used to bake fresh pulla on most Saturday mornings.

Wish you all a delicious Shrove Tuesday!

Laskiaispulla*

500ml milk (organic, full cream), heated to about 42C

50g fresh yeast or 22g (about 4 teaspoons) dry active yeast

1 egg (large, free-range, organic)

a small pinch of salt

1 tablespoon ground cardamom

160g raw caster sugar

1 tablespoon raw vanilla sugar (with pure vanilla)

about 700g-800g plain flour

200g melted, cooled butter (organic)

1 egg (free-range, organic), for brushing

pearl sugar, for sprinkling

300ml heavy cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla sugar

raspberry jam or marzipan

* Healthier, modernised version here.

1. If using dry yeast, mix it with a tablespoon of flour and add to warm milk. Stir until dissolved. 

2. Using a wooden fork or spoon, whisk in the egg, sugar and spices. 

3. Start adding flour bit by bit, whisking well the whole time. Knead using your hand after the dough gets thicker. Add melted butter and knead well until you have a soft, smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hand. Leave to rest, covered with a tea towel, until doubled in size.

4. Bake the dough into small round buns and arrange on baking sheets lined with baking paper. Be careful not to crowd the sheets (I spread mine on four baking trays). Cover the buns with tea towels and leave to rest for a further 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 200-225C.

6. Just before baking, brush the buns with egg (whisked in a bowl beforehand) and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake the buns in the middle rack, one tray at a time. Cool on a wire rack covered with a tea towel.

7. Whip the cream until pretty thick. Flavour with vanilla sugar. Cut the top of the buns with a serrated knife and spoon jam and cream on bottom part of the buns. Top with the "lid" and enjoy. 

8. Store the remaining buns in thick freezer bags in the freezer. Please note that this amount will make about 30 buns (depending on the size you make), but the filling will only make enough for about 10 buns.

Pancake Tower

It has become something of a tradition that once (or twice) a summer I need to make my own version of the traditional, Scandinavian pancake tower. Thin, crispy edged crepes layered with thick yoghurt (or cream, if you fancy) and berries is all there is to this easy summer treat. You can make the pancakes on a frying pan, but for a truly Scandinavian effect, you would need a cast iron pan on a camp fire (or on BBQ!).

Pancake Tower

2 eggs (large, free-range, organic)

500ml milk (organic, full cream)

about 150g plain flour 

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon olive oil (or other vegetable oil)

butter, for frying

200-300ml thick yoghurt (natural, full cream, organic)

about 100g berries (fresh or thawed)

honey, to taste

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla

1. Make the batter by whisking the eggs in a bowl. Add half the milk, flour salt and oil and whisk until smooth. Add rest of the milk and stir to combine. Leave to rest for half an hour.

2. Heat small amount of butter in a frying pan and fry the pancakes one by one. Let cool before layering.

3. Sweeten the yoghurt with honey and vanilla and stir in the berries leaving some for topping. Spoon the yoghurt between each pancake and top the tower with the extra berries. Enjoy immediately.