Shrove Pastry - Laskiaispulla (almond / mansikka)

Laskiaspulla are eaten during carnival, when its very cold outside and people go sledge ridding or skiing. People discussed whole evenings the fundamental question, which version is better. The one with the almond filling or the one with the strawberry yam filling. Diplomats tend to eat both and be happy.

Ingredients

5 dl Milk

50 g Fresh yeast (one cube)

2 dl Sugar

1 Tbsp Cardamom

13-14 dl wheat flour

200 g Soft butter

1 tsp Salt

For glazing:

1 Egg

Granulated sugar

For the Filling:

200 g Almond paste / 1 dl Strawberry yam

3 tbsp Milk

2 dl Cream (make sure its directly from the fridge)

Instructions:

Make sure the butter is soft, if you forgot to take it out of the fridge. Cut it into small pieces and put into warm place. Let the yeast have a bath in warm milk 37-40C and let it dissolve.

Add sugar and cardamon to the warm milk. Slowly add the flour and use a mixer with kneading extension. Add the soft butter and salt and continue kneading. You have kneaded enough (it takes a while), if you pull off a small piece it does not break of but stretches a bit like a chewing gum. Don’t stop early, or your buns will not be fluffy.

Let the dough rise under a clean towel until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.

Make a long sausage and divide it into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a nice round form. Let them rise again on the oven tray under a towel about 30 -45 minutes till they doubled in size.

Preheat the oven in between.

Brush the buns all over with the egg and add some granulated sugar on top.

Bake in the middle of the oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes till the buns get brown from underneath.

Let them cool properly! (If you put the whipped cream on while still warm it will be messy). Cut them into half.

Mix the almond paste and the milk with a mixer, so a smooth soft paste is created.

Whip the cream stiff and use a piping bag to pipe a “ring” on the bottom half of the bun and fill it either with yam or cream.

Do that 16 times and then enjoy!

Note: If 16 are too much for you in one go, the baked (but not filled) buns can be frozen.