Afternoon Fika, Courtesy of IKEA

It is hard to imagine many things more gratifying than a cup of good coffee with freshly baked cinnamon bun (or pulla, as we call them in Finland). It would be wrong for me to say IKEA's cinnamon buns are as good as the ones my mum makes, but they come pretty close! And there was just no way I was going to make them myself, it has been too hot for such marathon baking. These buns take just 15 minutes in the oven, which is a perfect amount of time to brew some coffee, toss some chocolates in a bowl and set up a lazy Sunday afternoon tea. Bliss! 

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

Passionate tea cakes for Friend's Day

Happy Sunday everyone and Happy Friend's Day for tomorrow!

That's right, in Finland we celebrate "Friend's Day" - we send cards to our friends and thank them for their friendship. I love this idea and I think it's all-inclusive and there is no need for "singles parties" or "Anti-Valentine's Day". This isn't a day for lovers only, this is a day to celebrate all friends you are fortunate to have in your life.

I made these tea cakes to celebrate Friend's Day. They are like little cupcakes, but spelt flour makes them slightly spongy and that's why the tea soaked fruit with a big dollop of minty yoghurt is a perfect companion to complete the dessert. I've used a beautifully fragrant tea from Swedelicious Tea called Freya's Passion. It is organic black tea with passion fruit, kumquats and blueberries made extra special with rose buds, sugar hearts and marigolds. I couldn't think of a better tea for these cakes!

Happy Friend's Day to all of you and thank you for your friendship and support!

 

Passionate Tea Cakes 

(Makes 8-10)

1 cup almond meal

1 cup white, unbleached spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

3 large free-range eggs

1/2 cup organic fat-free yoghurt

200 ml unsweetened apple sauce

200 ml passion fruit pulp (about 3 passion fruit)

300 ml Freya's passion tea, brewed strong and cooled 

1 tsp natural vanilla extract

a drop of rosewater

{Tea soaked fruit}

1 cup Freya's passion tea, brewed strong

1/2 cup dried fruit (apricots, apple, figs)

1 tbsp raw honey

{Minty Passionfruit Yoghurt}

250 ml organic fat-free yoghurt

pulp from 2 passion fruit

3 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

 

Preheat oven to 180C. Combine the almond meal, flour and baking powder in one bowl and the wet ingredients in the other. Then add the wet ingredients into the dried and stir well to mix. Spoon the batter into muffin tins and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For the tea soaked fruit, place the tea and the fruit along with the honey in a saucepan, bring to boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Leave to cool and set aside.

For the minty yoghurt, drain the yoghurt for about 30 minutes, then combine with the passion fruit pulp and mint. Serve with the cakes. 

 

Swedish Kladdkaka

The Swedes are well known for their sweet tooth and this cake makes no exception: it is rich, gooey and incredibly sweet. So if you're after a real chocolate hit, then this definitely is the cake for you!

Chocolate Kladdkaka

100 g butter (if you want the cake extra gooey, use 50 g butter and 50 ml vegetable oil)
2 eggs
2 dl granulated sugar
1 dl light brown sugar
2,5 dl plain flour (or cake flour if you can find it)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla sugar
tiny pinch of salt
4 tbs unsweetened Dutch cocoa
50 g dark 70% chocolate roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 150 C (or slightly hotter depending on your oven). Melt the butter and let cool slightly. Whisk the eggs and the sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in melted butter. Mix the dry ingredients together and fold into the batter. Fold in the chocolate. Pour the batter into a prepared cake tin and bake for 30 minutes or until set, but remember that the cake is supposed to be gooey! Serve with whipped cream.