I can sing two songs in Finnish: the theme tune to Bob the Builder (AKA Puuha Pete) and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Both were learnt during a stint as a pre-school teacher in a Turku kindergarten called, believe it or not, Wendy House. During my time there we sang lots and lots of songs, especially in winter when temperatures were too low to take the kids out to play, but I can only remember the lyrics to these two. Why? They were my favourites, of course. Bob the Builder was a great stress reliever and everyone loves Twinkle Twinkle, don’t they?
Likewise, everyone loves these Finnish Christmas tarts. They are super easy to make, very pretty and delightfully Christmassy, especially when served straight from the oven accompanied by a steaming glass of glögi. 🙂
This post is for Susan from the fabulous Food Blogga’s festive cookie collection.
Joulutorttu (Finnish Christmas Tarts)
Ready Made All-Butter Puff Pastry
Jam (Plum is traditional, I’m partial to cherry)
Icing Sugar, to dust
- Roll the pastry out to 0.5cm thick and cut into squares, 10cm x 10cm (ish)
- From each corner of the pastry square cut in towards the middle stopping about a centimetre before the centre (see this picture for visual instructions).
- Fold every other corner of the cut pastry in towards the middle and press down lightly (see this picture for visual instructions).
- Blob some jam into the middle of the stars.
- Bake in a 200oC pre-heated oven for 10-15 mins or until golden and puffed.
- Dust with icing sugar.
A Wee Bit of Cooking 
These are magnificent, Wendy! They look beautiful in the Eat Christmas Cookies post. Thanks so much for submitting them. Now, you need to post on how to make glogi. 😉
Wendy, these are so pretty in front of the Christmas Tree! And by golly, I could probably make these myself. They look very easy! Now, what is glogi?
Wendy – thank you for sharing these – they’re soooooo pretty! Just right for Chritmas nibbles! With a glass of mulled wine in front of a log fire 🙂
Celia
That looks very magnificently festive, Wendy. I’d go for cherry jam too. I never knew that they were Finnish Christmas tarts. I often see them in bakeries in Singapore. I betcha they didn’t even know they were Finnish. One bakery starts making ’em, and they all follow suit!
Oh you have fairy lights up already… I should do that soon.
Hope that you had a good weekend.
Nora
Susan – You read my mind! That’s my next post. 🙂
Deb – So easy it’s silly! Glogi is a kind of mulled wine. I’ll post the recipe later in the week.
Celia – You are so very very welcome!
Nora – As soon as the 1st December came I had my fairy lights up! Love them!
Wendy, you are so right, they look very festive!
Wonderful, Wendy. You formed them perfectly and you’re right..they are very Christmas-y 🙂
Dear Wendy. They look delicious, and nice and easy. Now, when you were teaching at Wendy House, did the kids realise you were called Wendy also, or did you go by your surname? I’m sure, if the former, some of their reactions would have been interesting!
I’ve been making these for Christmas for years – a definite must-have on our family’s festive table:) I use soft dried plums or dried cranberries or dried apricots as the ‘filling’ usually, just because it’s easier.
Ah, I haven’t made these in years. I think we made the dough ourselves and with a prune (or apricot) filling so this is a welcome recipe. I even have the cutter! Aha — just now read Pille’s comment and so yes, my memory is right. And gloggi is mandatory, already have it on the menu for Christmas!! I love all your Finnish recipes!
Cynthia – Don’t they? 🙂
Maryann – Thank you!
Little Miss Moi – They called me by my first name. The girls loved it! Not as much as the parents though…
Pille – Love the idea of using dried apricots. Can see myself making them again this weekend!
Alanna – Well done you for making the dough! I’m not a baker at all. Gloggi recipe on its way too!
These look very fancy-schmancy, perfect for Christmas when you want to make your family think you’re caring for their every whim in the kitchen but don’t want to actually work *too* hard.
They are so pretty Wendy.
Your Christmas lights in the background make me want to set up my own tree. Twinkle, twinkle little stars, indeed!
My asparagus came from the local market. Maybe they are “hot house”.
I’m trying these as I type…waiting for the first batch to finish in the oven! They smell so yummy!
And they were really easy to make!
The Finns do minimalism so well, don’t they? And it looks so warm and Christmasy at your house!
Annemarie – 🙂
Lucy – I’m a sucker for fairy lights. Couldn’t get them up fast enough!
Maryann – Thanks. They were just so very long!
Deanna – Hope you enjoyed them! 🙂
Rosa – It needs to be. It’s dark by 3.30pm now. 😦
I can’t believe how simple these are to make – they’re so magnificent! Great recipe Wendy, thank you!
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I love how beautifully shaped these are, Wendy!
Amanda – You’re very welcome!
Patricia – Thank you!
These are a dream to make, so easy and quick. I placed wild cherry preserve in the centre and are just delicious as not too sweet. I will make the tarts often and for gifts. They look and taste wonderful. Thanks so much Wendy.
Helen – So very glad you enjoyed them. 🙂 Happy New Year to you.
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Hey Wendy! Just wanted you to know I included your delicious cookie in my latest article at Foodie View. Happy Holidays!
Wendy:
Always Finnish Prune Tarts (as we call them) for Christmas But we make our own dough sort of like a soft sugar cookie and make them in a pinwheel shape with a prune filling.
Anyway, I desperately need the recipe for gloggi. I know that it takes two kinds of wine, one of which is Madeira and it takes cinnamon and is served hot with raisins and some other fruit on the bottom of the cup. I need the recipe so I can have some for Christsmas. Thanks.
Susan – I saw that – thanks! This post seems to be even more popular this year than it was last. 🙂
Betha – My preferred glögi recipe is here: https://teach77.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/glogi-nights/
It’s just normal red wine I use though. I’ve never heard of it made with Madeira before. The Finns I know often add koskenkorva (bit like vodka) to it or sweet vermouth. I leave it out as liquor makes me fall over!
these things are wonderful! I’ve been staying in Finland foe the last 3 weeks and seem to constantly eat them!!
although instead of jam, they have a special sort of jam thing just for them.
I plan on making them when I get home 😀
Can you tell me where to find the cutter for the Finnish Prune Tarts?
Nancy – There’s no cutter. You just cut squares out them make the cuts yourself. See this picture to see how the cuts are made: http://www.flickr.com/photos/teach77/2078090255/sizes/m/in/photostream/
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Ha,
Very nice, I’ll attempt to make these too.
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