Finland

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Finland holiday pastries test

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Cinnamon bun (Korvapuusti)

On 4 October we celebrate the national Cinnamon Bun Day. The celebration of Cinnamon bun Day started in Sweden and has been celebrated in Finland since the beginning of the 2000s. In Sweden, Cinnamon Bun Day was founded by the Swedish Hembakningsrådet (Home Baking Council) in 1999. The goal is to maintain the baking tradition and increase the sale of the cinnamon bun. The Home Baking Council was founded by commercial companies that sell yeast, flour, sugar and margarine.

Cinnamon Bun Day, 4 October

Cinnamon buns are cinnamon flavored wheat pastries that have become an important part of Finnish food culture. The cinnamon buns came to Finland from Sweden and Finnish homes have baked them since the early 20th century when the use of wheat flour, butter and sugar became more common.

Brita cake (Britakakku)

Midsummer, 20 – 26 June
Midsummer is an old midsummer celebration that has been celebrated since ancient times and almost everywhere in Europe. During the summer solstice the day is at its longest and the night is at its shortest. Midsummer was generally preceded by a major house cleaning after a long and dark winter, and in the Nordic Countries it also included washing clothes.

Nowadays Midsummer is celebrated with friends and relatives and the cities are almost empty when people seek to be by lakes or the sea to go swimming and enjoying sauna. Midsummer is still associated with magic and beliefs and at many Midsummer parties bonfires are lit or Midsummer trees are set up. Midsummer’s traditional decoration includes flowers and fresh branches of deciduous trees. Finnish flags will be hoisted for the entire period of Midsummer and the flag can be up from Midsummer’s Eve at 6:00 pm until the evening of Midsummer’s Day until 9:00 pm.

If possible, the food is served outside by a grill or open fire and it is accompanied by the ingredients that are in season in the early summer. Many people enjoy new season potatoes for the first time, as well as strawberries. In addition, at many midsummer tables, herring, smoked fish and grilled delicacies are enjoyed.

Brita cake is a beautiful cake for summer parties. The secret of Brita cake is a meringue layer baked on a cake base that makes the cake crispy and spectacular. Brita cake became public in the 1980s through a national cake competition. In Finland, strawberry cake is a part of everyone’s summer delicacies. Strawberry cake is especially eaten at Midsummer and it has already long traditions.

Runeberg’s tart (Runebergin torttu)

Runeberg´s Day, 5 February

Day on 5 February is celebrated in honor of the birthday of the national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804-1877). Runeberg was a respected poet, writer and journalist both at home and abroad, and his production played a major role in the birth of nationalism in Finland. Runeberg´s Day is an established flag day. For the first time Runeberg´s Day was celebrated in Pietarsaari on the poet’s 50th birthday. Today, Runeberg tarts are part of the celebration.

The Runeberg’s tart is a special pastry. It is very modest and simple. There is a common perception that Runeberg´s tart was developed by Johan Ludvig Runeberg’s wife Fredrika. Later, it has become clear that Runeberg enjoyed the same kind of pastry in a local confectionary before his wife began to bake them.