In the heart of Finland, where the sun-drenched forests meet the tranquil lakes, lies a culinary treasure that embodies the essence of Finnish tradition and Christmas spirit: Joulutorttu, also known as Finnish Christmas stars. These delightful pastries are a symphony of flavors, textures, and visual appeal, making them a beloved treat during the festive season.
With a crispy, buttery pastry that crumbles at the first bite, Joulutorttu reveals a sweet and fruity filling, often made from a delectable blend of prune or plum jam, almond paste, and spices like cinnamon and cardamom. The star shape, meticulously crafted by folding and pinching the dough, adds an extra touch of charm and elegance to these cookies.
This article presents a collection of Joulutorttu recipes that cater to various dietary preferences and skill levels. From classic recipes using traditional ingredients to gluten-free and vegan variations, there's a recipe here for everyone to indulge in this Finnish delicacy.
Whether you're a seasoned baker looking to recreate an authentic Finnish Christmas experience or a novice cook eager to try something new, these recipes will guide you through the process of making Joulutorttu with ease. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and let's embark on a culinary journey to the heart of Finland.
FINNISH STAR COOKIES -JOULUTORTTU
These Finnish Star Cookies are adorable with their pinwheel shape. They have a lemon cream cheese dough with a dollop of raspberry preserves wrapped in the pinwheel center. It has a perfect sweet to tart ratio and is as lovely to eat as it is to look at.
Provided by Melissa
Categories Cookies
Time 1h29m
Yield 18 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Do not preheat the oven. This recipe requires chill time.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Beat for one minute until well combined. Add sugar and lemon zest and cream together for about two minutes until light and fluffy. Add in one egg, and mix until well combined. Slowly add in the dry ingredients on low speed until thoroughly incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to clean down the sides of the bowl and combine the ingredients back into the dough.
- Separate the dough into two portions, wrap each in saran wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of one hour, or until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Roll out one of the dough packs (keep the other pack in the fridge until needed) on a lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 3-1/2″ squares either using a cookie cutter or using a knife. Transfer the squares onto the lined baking sheet, about 1-1/2 inches apart.
- In the center of the squares, drop a teaspoon of raspberry preserves. Take a knife and gently cut from each point of the square up to the preserves. Pull up one side of the cut triangle and gently fold it to the center of the preserves. Continue to do this on the three other sides, and secure the tips together by gently pressing the dough together.
- Next, you will prepare the egg wash, by whisking one egg and lightly brushing it on to the tops of the Finnish Star Cookies.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the cookies are slightly puffed. Let cool on baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
FINNISH STAR COOKIES (JOULUTORTTU)
A rich cream-cheese dough flecked with lemon zest is filled with sweet-tart raspberry preserves in these festive pinwheel cookies known as joulutorttu, which means Christmas tart in Finnish.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes about 18
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Add sugar and lemon zest and continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and beat until combined. Beat in flour mixture on low speed until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a square, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove one-half of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, roll out dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out squares using a 3 1/2-inch square cutter, then carefully transfer to prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart. If dough becomes too soft, transfer parchment with dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm.
- Place 1 teaspoon preserves in the center of each square. Using a small paring knife, cut 1 1/4-inch slits diagonally from each corner toward the filling. Fold every other tip over to cover filling, forming a pinwheel. Press lightly to seal. If dough becomes soft, refrigerate until firm.
- Lightly beat remaining egg with remaining pinch of salt. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of cookies with egg wash. Bake until edges are golden and cookies are slightly puffed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
FINNISH COOKIES "JOULUTORT STARS"
JOULUTORTUT,or sometimes called NORTHERN STARS,cookies are a buttery, delicious,a star-shaped FINNISH Christmas Cookie. They traditional have a prune filling. Made from scratch. But plum,apple,rhubarb, strawberry or you're favorite jam can be used. My paternal grandparents came from Finland, and I make these most holidays...in...
Provided by Nancy J. Patrykus
Categories Fruit Sides
Time 2h15m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dough ingredients, in a large bowel, with your hands. (it must be with your clean hands no rings on please.) Once all the ingredients are well mixed let the dough. Important: Chill for a few hours!
- 2. Sprinkle flour on your clean kitchen counter.Take half of the dough out, and leave the other half in the refrigerator. Roll out and cut into several 3 inch sguares with a knife.
- 3. Cut slits in all 4 corners of each square. Fill the center with a couple teaspoons of filling.
- 4. Then create the star by pulling down alternate corners of the squares. Press the alternate corners down into the filling to make them stick. Do the same with the second half of cookie dough.
- 5. Bake on an ungreased coolie sheet, at 350 degrees F. for about 12-15 minutes. You will start to smell the butter and cream cheese. But really just take a peek, if they have a nice golden color they are done. Cool on wire racks. ....Sprinkle with powdered sugar...when cool.
JOULUTORTTU (FINNISH CHRISTMAS STAR COOKIES)
Soft and flaky pasty surrounds a flavorful jam in Joulutorttu, festive Finnish Christmas Star Cookies. For best results, refrigerate this dough for 2-3 hours before shaping and baking the cookies.
Provided by Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere
Categories Dessert Recipes
Time 1h12m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large bowl beat together butter and ricotta cheese with an electric hand mixer. Add the flour, and mix until a soft dough comes together.
- Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours (up to overnight), until firm.
- Preheat your oven to 425F.
- Lightly flour your countertop and roll out one section of dough to a rectangle (roughly 12 x 9 inches) that is about an 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut the dough into 3-inch squares.
- In each square, make four cuts, one from each corner, each going 1/2 - 2/3 of the way to the center of the square.
- Spoon 1 teaspoon of jam in the center of each square.
- Fold every other corner of each square over the jam. Use the beaten egg wash to moisten the corners slightly and lightly press to seal the corners together over top of the jam.
- Transfer your pinwheel cookie to a parchment lined baking sheet, placing the cookies 1 inch apart.
- Repeat with the second half of the dough.
- Lightly brush the tops of the cookies with the beaten egg.
- Bake the cookies 10-12 minutes, until golden.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cool, dust them lightly with powdered sugar.
- Store the cookies in an air-tight container on the counter for 3-4 days.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 110 calories, ServingSize 2 cookies
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The quality of your ingredients will greatly impact the taste of your cookies. Use real butter, fresh eggs, and high-quality flour.
- Chill your dough: Chilling the dough before baking helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much. This will result in a more defined star shape.
- Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing the dough will make the cookies tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough: A sharp knife will help you to create clean, precise cuts in the dough. This will result in more attractive cookies.
- Bake the cookies until they are golden brown: The cookies should be baked until they are golden brown around the edges. This will ensure that they are cooked through.
- Let the cookies cool completely before filling them: The cookies need to cool completely before you can fill them. Otherwise, the filling will melt and make the cookies soggy.
Conclusion:
Finnish cookies, also known as joulutort stars, are a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for the holiday season. These cookies are made with a simple dough that is filled with a sweet prune or plum filling. They are then baked until golden brown and dusted with powdered sugar. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make these cookies at home. Just be sure to follow the tips above to ensure that your cookies turn out perfect.
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