Finnish Christmas Tarts
If you like baking then you'll love this recipe. There are a lot of ingredients and it takes time to make, but you will be so satisfied with the end results. Christmas Tarts are so delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 (8 ounces) pitted prunes
- water to cover
- 2 fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped stiff
- 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
- 1 slightly beaten egg
- 2 milk
- Pearl sugar or crushed sugar cubes for garnish
Instructions
- Put the prunes into a small pan and cover with water.
- Simmer slowly until very soft -- 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain then puree; add the lemon juice and sugar and enough of the cooking liquid if needed to make a jamlike consistency.
- For the pastry, mix the flour and baking powder.
- Stir into the whipped cream until evenly blended then mix in the butter.
- Shape dough into a ball and chill 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- On a floured board, roll pastry out to make an 18-inch square.
- Fold dough into thirds, folding first one third over the center, then the opposite third over the center.
- Roll out to seal the layers.
- Turn dough and fold again into thirds, making the dough into a perfect square.
- Roll out, retaining the square shape, to 1/4 inch thickness, adding flour if needed to prevent stickiness.
- Cut into 3-inch squares.
- With a pastry wheel or a sharp knife, make cuts from the corners to the centers of the squares, about 1-1/2 inches long.
- Place a small spoonful of the prune filling onto the center of each square.
- Brush edges with a glaze made of egg and milk.
- Shape into pinwheel stars by lifting every other split corner toward the center onto the filling.
- Pinch together.
- Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Brush tops of stars again with the egg mixture.
- Decorate with pearl sugar.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned.