December

It is time to start preparing for Christmas again. They say "the days are long, but the years are short" and this year that has been exactly the case. We are keeping the decorations minimal again this Christmas, tucked away from curious little hands. I doubt I'll get a chance to do much baking, but a couple of treats are still a must. Like these traditional puff pastry tarts filled with prune jam for which you can find an old recipe right here.

Runeberg's Cake

It has become something of a tradition that I bake a Runeberg's Cake at this time of the year (see my previous versions here and here). Again this cake isn't something I liked growing up; the bitter almond taste was probably not sweet enough for a child's taste buds, but I've grown to appreciate the taste and texture of Runeberg's cake. I must admit, I don't bake much nowadays, but I couldn't miss the opportunity to enjoy this cake once again. 

Runeberg's Cake*

(recipe adapted from Kotiliesi)

1 teaspoon baking powder

130g plain flour

200ml melted butter

150g raw caster sugar

2 eggs

120g finely crumbed gingerbread cookies

100g almond meal

100ml milk

raspberry jam

60g icing sugar

1 tablespoon water

* You can moisturise the cake after baking with some water and liquor, if you like. 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C, grease a loaf tin and line it with baking paper.

2. Mix baking powder with the flour and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition.

4. Mix in the cookie crumb and almond meal. Add flour mixture and milk and stir until smooth.

5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn (upside down) onto a wire rack. Mix icing sugar with water into a smooth paste. Once cooled, decorate with raspberry jam and icing sugar. 

Joululimppu - Finnish Christmas Bread

Perhaps another 30C day wasn't the best choice for baking bread (or anything else for that matter), but I just had to have this dark, dense and sweet bread that always reminds me of Christmases spent at home in Finland. We call this bread joululimppu (joulu meaning Christmas and limppu meaning a loaf of bread) and I suppose this recipe is yet another influence from those sweet loving Swedes who also serve a similar bread at Christmas. Although the recipe calls for a whole 100ml of dark treacle plus extra for brushing the loaves whilst baking, the bread has a warm spicy taste to it, probably thanks to the fennel seeds that we also love adding to breads and other baked goods. 

I can happily retire to the comfort of my fan and air-conditioner now, with a few slices of joululimppu smothered with butter. For the recipe, please check my previous entry of the same bread. 

wooden bread board from Pikku-Kota

Sour Cream Cake

I don't bake much nowadays... mostly because I don't have a particular craving for sweets and my husband is quite happy to just have some fresh fruit for dessert. Summer is almost here and although I'm planning to bake some Christmas treats (ginger bread cookies are already stashed in the freezer), I will most likely bake even less.

Today's baking was prompted by a past-its-best-before-date cream I had in the fridge. I remembered mum mentioning "sour" cream was perfect for baking particular cakes, so of course I had to find a recipe and give it a go. Really this is just an ordinary sponge cake, but delicious nevertheless. You may know by now that I'm not into fiddly baking; decorations, fondants and all that, so a completely effortless cake like this one is just my type.

Admittedly the name of this cake can be a bit misleading as it is just normal cream you will need, and not sour cream as we know it in the English speaking countries. Also, the flavour is not particularly sour, even with the addition of lemon zest. I enjoyed an afternoon tea with a thick slice of cake and some fresh strawberries. Perfect for warm spring afternoon.

Sour Cream Cake

(Recipe from Kotiruoka book)

2 large eggs (free-range, organic)

170g (raw) caster sugar

zest of one small lemon

300ml heavy cream

230g plain flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

icing sugar, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 175C.

2. Beat sugar and eggs until pale and add grated lemon zest.

3. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl and carefully fold this mixture, alternating with the cream, in to sugar and eggs.

4. Pour the mixture into a greased cake tin (mine was about 22cm) and bake for 35-50 minutes, depending on your oven. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Creamy Salmon Soup

One final winter recipe before we flip the calendar page over to September (and spring!) tomorrow. This past winter in Sydney has been exceptionally warm with temperatures reaching up to 25C and beyond. One can hardly call that winter anymore!

I couldn't help myself making one of my all time favourites soups despite the warm weather and I'm secretly hoping we will have at least one or two cooler spring days so I'll have an excuse to make this again before summer is here. 

I love this creamy salmon soup with lots of dill and a side of rye bread or rieska would have been absolutely perfect with this. I'm not sure if carrots are part of the original recipe, but to me they bring added sweetness and colour to this dish and I just must have them there.

With these thoughts I wish you all a happy spring (or autumn, depending where you are) !

Creamy Salmon Soup

(serves 4)

1 litre of water

whole peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) salt

1 onion, finely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

6-7 potatoes, peeled and cut to chunks

500g salmon, skinned and boned, cubed

300ml cream

whole bunch of dill, finely chopped

1. Add water, peppercorns, salt and onion to a large casserole. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. 

2. Add carrots and potatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are half-cooked.

3. Add salmon and cream and simmer on low heat for a further 10-15 minutes or until the fish has cooked through. Add dill and serve.

Easy Apple Tart with Vanilla Custard

We finally had some sun after a few days of rain and it was really warm sitting on the balcony soaking up the rays. A quick and easy apple tart with thick vanilla custard was a perfect afternoon treat for this Sunday. I don't remember making such an easy version of this classic favourite before; just mixing the ingredients in a bowl (no electric beaters or other special equipment needed) and laying apple slices on top. I always serve these types of cakes with vanilla custard (as we do in Finland), but you could substitute with good vanilla ice cream.

Easy Apple Tart with Vanilla Custard

(Recipe adapted from Kotivinkki)

230g plain flour

170g (raw) caster sugar

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla

100g butter, melted

200ml sour cream

3 apples, cored and sliced

 cinnamon, to taste

Vanilla Custard

250ml milk 

1 egg yolk

1/2 tablespoon potato flour*

1 tablespoon (raw) caster sugar

1/4  teaspoon pure ground vanilla

* potato starch is sold as potato flour in Australia.

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

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and vanilla in a bowl. Add melted, cooled butter and sour cream and stir until smooth. Spread on the bottom and sides of the dish (wet spoon works well for this). 

3. Top the base with apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon (and extra sugar if you wish).

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly before serving.

5. For the custard, add all ingredients to a saucepan and whisk well to combine. Place on medium heat, then whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. Take off the heat and serve warm with the apple tart.

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  

Synttärileivokset - Birthday Cakes

We celebrated husband's birthday today with these little cakes. A simple Swiss roll filled with raspberry and apple jam, topped with vanilla flavoured cream and fresh strawberries. Perfect treat to end an unforgettable day.

Birthday Cakes

(makes about 10 individual cakes)

3 large or 4 small eggs

85g (raw) caster sugar

30g plain flour

35g potato flour*

1 teaspoon baking powder

150-200g raspberries

1 apple, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons (raw) caster sugar

300ml cream

pure ground vanilla

1 tablespoon (raw) caster sugar

fresh strawberries

*In Australia, potato starch is sold as potato flour. Available at Coles and most speciality stores. 

1. Preheat the oven to 225C and line a cookie tray (15cm x 10cm) with baking paper.

2. Beat sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Combine dry ingredients and gently add them through a sieve. Fold to combine. Pour the batter onto the tray and bake for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown.

3. Place a clean sheet of baking paper on the kitchen bench and sprinkle the paper with sugar. Turn the baked cake onto the paper and peel off the paper. 

4. Combine raspberries, apple and sugar and sieve to get rid of excess liquid. Spread the jam onto the cake, then roll tightly (using the paper) leaving the seam underneath. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or two. 

5. Flavour the cream with vanilla and sugar and whip to soft peaks. Cut the roll to pieces and top each piece with cream and strawberries. Serve immediately. The roll can be frozen (filled, not topped).

Ruisleipäset - Small Rye Bread

To be honest, I get quite fed up with the bread selection at the supermarkets and most bakeries here in Australia. It's mostly sliced bread (toast) or white bread rolls and loafs that is on offer. There are wholemeal varieties available, but I am not too fond of the taste of commercial bread. It often has a distinctive flavour (raising agent, perhaps) and it doesn't have the proper bread texture I am used to. Any rye bread available tends to be the German type, which is often quite dense.

Hence, every now and again, I resort to baking my own rye bread. Fortunately most health food stores in Sydney carry rye flour and you may be able to buy fresh yeast from some smaller bakeries. I do prefer fresh yeast, but dry yeast works ok too.

The bread I made this time is very simple and reminds me of the rye bread I had in Finland. It is mostly rye, but has some wheat flour mixed in for a softer texture. Treacle (dark syrup) and salt are the only flavouring it needs. Served with a slice of cheese or melted butter, it was a much needed hearty breakfast on a slow Saturday morning.

Small Rye Bread

(Makes about 20)

(Recipe adapted from here)

500ml warm water (42C)

220g rye flour

10g dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon treacle (dark syrup)

165g rye flour (+50g)

130g plain wheat flour

1. Mix the yeast with flour, then stir with water. Leave, covered, for half an hour.

2. Add salt and treacle and add the flour, stirring continuously. Turn the dough to a floured surface and lightly knead to form a soft dough. You may need to incorporate an extra 50g flour here. Divide the dough into equal sized pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Transfer the portions to baking sheets lined with baking paper. Flatten each ball to a disk, about 2 cm thick, and prick with a fork. Cover the sheets with clean tea towels and leave to rise well. 

3. Preheat the oven to 200C. Sprinkle the bread with little water just before baking. Bake the breads for about 10 minutes or until the base has browned and sounds 'hollow' when tapped. Cool on a wire rack, covered with a tea towel, before serving.

Kerroskiisseli - Vanilla and Berry Kissel

It took me years of living in Australia to realise something about Finnish desserts: they are generally not very sweet. Take our traditional birthday cake, for instance. It is not covered in sheets of sugary fondant and most of the sweetness actually comes from the fruit the cake is filled and topped with. Even our beloved mocha slice (Finnish equivalent to a brownie) isn't overly sweet and the most well-known Finnish treat of them all, korvapuusti, would probably be classified as bread in some countries.

Then there is kiisseli (kissel, a jelly-like pudding), one of the most versatile every-day desserts served all over Finland. Kiisseli is almost like a sweet soup, but thicker. It has a jelly-like consistency, but it's not as thick as jelly, just somewhere in between. You can use pretty much any fruit or berry (dried, frozen or fresh) you happen to have at hand; frozen berries, apples, oranges, rhubarb, you name it. There is even a chocolate version which is like a light and guilt-free version of chocolate mousse. You can have kissel as a warm soup or a cool dessert, which ever you prefer. This is the dessert to make when you're too lazy to go to the store or bake, and you will most likely have all the ingredients already at home.

This rainy day called for a kerroskiisseli (layered kissel): thick vanilla flavoured milk kissel topped with slightly sour raspberry and blueberry kissel. It was the perfect quick treat to whip up.

Kerroskiisseli

(serves 2-4)

Milk Kissel

600ml milk (organic, full cream)

35g potato flour*

2 tablespoons raw caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and place on a medium heat. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens, do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Berry Kissel

200-300g frozen berries

600ml water

3 tablespoons raw caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla

100ml cold water

2 1/2 tablespoons potato flour*

1. Bring 400ml water, berries, sugar and vanilla to boil. Add rest of the water to cool down the mixture. 

2. Mix water and potato flour in a separate jug. Whisk this mixture with the rest of the ingredients and turn off the heat. Leave to cool before serving. 

3. Layer the cooled down kissel in a glass or a bowl and serve.

* In Australia potato starch is sold as potato flour. It is available at most speciality stores, but also at Coles (look for it at the health foods department).

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. 

Carrot Pancakes

My pancake addiction is showing no signs of slowing down. Savoury pancakes, sweet pancakes and now these: carrot pancakes. All these variations are actually quite common in Finland and the savoury ones are often served with lingonberry.

Carrot pancakes (or any savoury pancakes, really) make a perfect weekend lunch and these were a nice treat on a quiet Sunday after a long outing in the near-by forest. I had the left-over pancakes next day for breakfast; what a perfect way to start a new week!

Carrot Pancakes

(serves 4)

2 large eggs (free-range, organic)

500ml full cream milk

200g wholemeal flour

pinch of salt

4 carrots, finely grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

butter, for frying

lingonberry, for serving

1. Break the eggs in a bowl and add half the milk, flour and salt. Whisk until smooth, then add the oil, grated carrot and rest of the milk. Leave for half an hour.

2. Fry pancakes one at a time, a couple of minutes on each side. Serve with lingonberry jam.

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.

Tiger Cake (Marble Cake)

I had a chance to bake some traditional cakes (knowing they'd get eaten) whilst my parents were visiting us the other week. Tiger cake, as it is known in Finland, didn't used to be my favourite growing up, but I've finally discovered the joy of these simple 'coffee cakes' Finns love so much.
It's these traditional recipes I'm most fond of: basic ingredients and no fancy machinery needed.

 Tiger Cake

200g butter (organic)

160g raw caster sugar

3 eggs (large, free-range, organic)

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

190g plain flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons milk (full cream, organic)

1. Beat soft butter and sugar in a bowl. Add eggs beating well after each addition. 

2. Mix vanilla, baking powder and flour in a separate bowl. Sieve this mixture into the same bowl with butter/eggs/sugar and fold carefully to combine. 

3. Take 1/3 of the mixture into another bowl. Add cocoa powder and milk and stir to combine. 

4. Pour 1/3 of the white mixture into a greased cake tin, add a layer of cocoa mixture in between and top with the rest of the dough. 'Prick' the dough with a fork to create the marbling. 

5. Bake in preheated oven (175C) for about 45-50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

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!

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.