Mämmi is a traditional Easter Time dessert which we highly recommend to be tasted eyes closed for the first time. Though mämmi's brownish appearance isn't that temptating the sweet taste is definitely worth trying.
Ingredients
Pour approximately 2 liters of boiling water into a large saucepan. Stir the 250 gr malt and 3 dl rye flour into the boiling water. Sprinkle the surface with rye flour, cover the saucepan well and set aside to sweeten for an hour or two. Add more hot water, the rest of the malt and some rye flour. Stir well, sprinkle the surface with rye flour, cover the saucepan and set aside to sweeten for one more hour.
Repeat the above process until all the ingredients have been mixed in. (For each process the water should be hotter than before, so that for the last process boiling water will be used).
Beat the mixture until cooled and add the salt, ground pomerind and orange rind.
Pour the mixture into low, square oven dishes, no more than 3/4 of the volume, as the mixture rises during baking. Sprinkle the surface of the mixture with sugar and bake at 150 degrees Celsius for approximately 3 hours. (In Finland "Mämmi" is traditionally baked in boxes made from birch-bark).
The Easter Pudding is best served after a few days. Store it in a cool place.
Serve this Finnish Easter Pudding cold together with sugar and milk or whipped cream.
Carelian pastries are really appreciated among the Finns. These salty pastries are normally served with eggbutter and a hinch of parsley. It takes some effort to make them from scratch, but it's totally worth it. They are hardly any Finnish feasts where you cannot find these tasty pastries.
Ingredients:
Rice Filling:
Rinse rice and add to boiling water. Simmer until most of water is absorbed. Add milk, lower heat to a minimum, and partially cover pot. Simmer until milk has been absorbed and rice has turned into thick porridge. Season the rice with salt and leave to cool.
Add flour and salt to water; mix into a solid, compact dough. Form the dough into a strip and divide into 12 pieces. Roll the pieces into flat thin ovals. Spread some filling on each oval. Then fold the sides towards the center, pinching and making neat pleats along the edge. Bake at 150ºC for about 10 minutes.
Remove from oven. Brush well with melted butter or a butter and water mixture. Place the pasties, separated with baking paper, in a bowl and cover with a towel to soften the crusts.
Serve warm with butter or egg butter which is made by mixing equal parts of butter, cottage cheese and chopped hard-boiled egg.