J.L Runeberg day, 5th of February...

Today I want to show you this fabulous selfie of me and DH.

I do not actually do selfies, but this was a moment I felt that I have to try it.

And it worked… well kind of anyways.

This is us, 12 and some years after we met.

In Finland tomorrow is celebrated as J.L. Runberg day.

OK, this will be a short lecture about finnish culture:

Johan Ludvig Runeberg is the national poet (was until 1877) of Finland.

He has written The Tales of Ensign Stål,  Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat in Finnish. It is considered the greatest Finnish epic poem. As his first poem Runeberg also wrote Our Land, Maamme in Finnish, which became the Finnish National Anthem. 

The day, Runeberg Day, is celebrated on 5 February each year with a delicacy called Runeberg Torte. It is a Finnish pastry flavored with almonds and rum or array and it usually weighs about 100 grams. There is usually raspberry jam in a sugar ring on the tart. Almonds are also the reason why I have never tasted this delicacy. So I cannot really tell if it is a delicacy or not. If you are interested in finding out your self, you just have to make these and try out. This recipe I found on a blog called Desserts for Breakfast. I would appreciate that you'd check back in and leave me a comment telling what's your verdict, if you baked these.

Thanks for peeking in, and enjoy !

Hugs,

Susanna

Here it is:

Runeberg Cakes
makes 8 3x3 round cakes

for cakes:
2 cups AP flour
1 cup finely ground ginger snaps
3/4 cup finely ground almonds
(to grind almonds, put almonds and ginger snaps in food processor at the same time.)
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn baking soda
1 tspn salt
1 1/2 - 2 tspn freshly grated orange zest
1 tspn ground cardamom
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tspn almond extract
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 Tbspn molasses
3 eggs, at room temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Oil and flour the 3x3 cake rings and set on a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, ground ginger snaps, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange zest, and cardamom. Whisk to mix. Set aside.
3. In a measuring cup, stir and combine milk, orange juice, and almond extract. Set aside.
4. Place butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.  Cream on medium low for about 4-5 minutes.
5. Add molasses to the butter mixture and cream until fully incorporated.  Make sure to scrap down the sides if necessary.
6. Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly to incorporate each egg between each addition.
7. Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour mix) and wet ingredients (milk mix) to the butter in three stages--dry followed by wet followed by dry followed by wet, etc.  Mix until thoroughly combined.
8. Spoon batter into cake molds until about 3/4 of the way full, being careful not to touch the exposed sides with batter.  Tap the baking sheet lightly on the counter to get rid of any large air pockets.  Use a small spatula or a spoon to smooth the tops of the batter.
9. Bake for 25-35 minutes (shorter if you have smaller ring molds) until a toothpick removed from the center of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from molds. Then glaze with...

for rum syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tbspn rum or cognac

1. While the cakes are baking, make the syrup.  Place sugar and water in a heat-proof measuring glass.
2. Heat the sugar and water in the microwave on high for a minute and a half.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.
(or, Heat in a pot on the stovetop until sugar dissolves.)
3. Add alcohol and stir into the syrup.
4. When the cakes are unmolded, poke the tops with a few small holes.  Use a pastry brush to brush the syrup on the tops and sides of the cakes.

for raspberry topping:
1 cup frozen raspberries
4 Tbspn sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tspn cornstarch, sifted

1. In a nonreactive saucepan, saute raspberries on medium high until they begin to release their juices.
2. Add the lemon juice, sugar, and sifted cornstarch, to the raspberries, making sure to whisk to combine the cornstarch.
3. Stirring constantly, bring the contents to a boil and simmer until the raspberries have reduced and are slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let cool.  Set aside.

for icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 Tbpsn milk
1/4 tspn almond extract

1. Combine powdered sugar with milk and almond extract. Mix well until a thick icing forms.
2. Spoon icing into a squeeze bottle or piping bag fitted with round tip.  Use immediately.

Assembly:
1. Use a sharp knife and cut a shallow cone out of the top of each cake, like filling a cupcake, but make a very shallow cut, about a centimeter in from the edge.  Scoop out the cone piece.
2. Using a pastry brush, brush more syrup in the cut-out hole.
3. Fill the hole with raspberry topping, about 2 tablespoons per hole.
4. Use the prepared icing in the piping bag to pipe a generous circle of icing around the raspberry topping.