Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

This is a two day process – make the pastry and the prune filling on the first day and then place in the fridge to cool completely.

Day two is when you will be assembling the tarts.

Ingredients

Pastry

440g cups plain flour

225g unsalted butter

225g cream cheese

1 tsp salt

2 tbs milk

Filling

500g prunes, pitted

3 cups or 710g water

1/2 cup or 110g white sugar

Or make a batch of my Prunes In Port Syrup for something a little more indulgent.

Egg wash

1 egg

1 tbs milk

Method

Place the flour, butter, milk and cream cheese into a food processor and blitz till it resembles crumbs.Finding Feasts - Finnish Prune Tarts joulutorttu_2Finding Feasts - Finnish Prune Tarts joulutorttu_3

Tip out onto some cling film and press the pastry together with your hands.Finding Feasts - Finnish Prune Tarts joulutorttu_1Finding Feasts - Finnish Prune Tarts joulutorttu_12

Fold up in the cling film and then place in the fridge to cool overnight.Finding Feasts - Finnish Prune Tarts joulutorttu_13

Prepare the prune filling by placing the prunes and water in a saucepan and gently simmering till the prunes have softened. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Place the prunes into a food processor and blitz. You could leave it at this consistency, in which case add the sugar and place in the fridge to cool overnight.

OR

Push the softened prunes through a sieve…This takes time but the results are much finer, and then stir in the sugar. Place in the fridge to cool overnight.

Or

Make up a batch of the Prunes in Port Syrup and then blitz and sieve as above. Place in the fridge to cool overnight.

Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Stir in the sugar and add the water to get a nice jam consistancy.Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

On day two… Roll out the pastry and then cut out squares.

Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Cut on the diagonal, leaving a space in the centre.Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Place a big dollop of the prune jam in the centre and then fold up the corners making a star shape.Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

You can also use ready made puff pastry if you don’t have the time to make your own pastry, although try to get the best quality ready made puff available.Finding Feasts | Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

Brush with the egg wash.

Bake in a pre heated oven at 225°C / 450°F for 15 mins or till golden brown.

Finding Feasts - Finnish Prune Tarts - joulutorttu_15

Finding Feasts - Finnish Prune Tarts - joulutorttu_21

 

4.5 from 2 reviews
Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These are a traditional Finnish Christmas treat. This is a two day process – Make the pastry and the prune filling on the first day and then place in the fridge to cool completely. Day two is when you will be compiling the tarts. Any leftover prune jam can be put in a jar and used with ice cream or croissants.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Finnish
Serves: 20
Ingredients
Pastry
  • 3½ cups plain flour
  • 225g unsalted butter
  • 225g cream cheese
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbs milk
Filling
  • 500g prunes, pitted
  • 3 c water
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • Or make a batch of my Prunes In Port Syrup for something a little more indulgent.
Egg wash
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbs milk
Method
  1. Place the flour, butter, milk and cream cheese into a food processor and blitz till it resembles crumbs.
  2. Tip out onto some cling film and press the pastry together with your hands.
  3. Fold up in the cling film and then place in the fridge to cool overnight.
  4. Prepare the prune filling by placing the prunes and water in a saucepan and gently simmering till the prunes have softened. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
  5. Place the prunes into a food processor and blitz. You could leave it at this consistency, in which case add the sugar and place in the fridge to cool overnight.
    OR
  6. Push the softened prunes through a sieve…This takes time but the results are much finer, and then stir in the sugar. Place in the fridge to cool overnight.
    OR
  7. Make up a batch of the Prunes in Port Syrup and then blitz and sieve as above. Place in the fridge to cool overnight.
  8. Stir in the sugar,
  9. On day two… Roll out the pastry and then cut out squares.
  10. Cut slits on the diagonal, leaving a space in the centre.
  11. Place a big dollop of the prune jam in the centre and then fold up the corners making a star shape.
  12. You can also use ready made puff pastry if you don’t have the time to make your own pastry.
  13. Brush with the egg wash.
  14. Bake in a pre heated oven at 225°C / 450°F for 15 mins or till golden brown.

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12 thoughts on “Joulutorttu – Finnish Prune Tarts

  1. If anyone is interested – my son makes the pinwheel tart cutters that makes the diagonal cuts in the pastry as you cut the square. Very nice and handy – saves time when you are making a lot of tarts.

    1. I would like a cutter. How do I order one?

      1. Ateco 1470 Pinwheel Cookie Cutter. Sold in restaurant supply stores, Amazon and some Finnish stores.

  2. Can you convert the butter, cream cheese and prunes into American measurements please.

    1. Hi Sheila, I have converted the the big weights to grams so if you have kitchen scales that will make measuring a lot simpler. Hope this helps 🙂
      Blondie

    1. Hi Linda, Thanks. I’ll be making a batch shorty for Christmas… oooh must remember to get some prunes for the jam!!
      Cheers, Blondie

  3. Thanks for the recipe! For anyone making this I think you reduce the amount of prune filling by half. Also, a bit of advice how to make sure the tart dough comes out flaky would be appreciated.

    1. Hi Ned, Thanks for your comment. You certainly could halve the jam recipe but as I say in the post, I highly recommend making the amount of jam suggested as it can be jarred and used for other desserts and biscuits, store it to make more tarts for your Christmas in July or give it as gifts… it certainly wont go to waste 🙂 As for the pastry, this isn’t a flaky pastry, it’s a bit firmer than that.
      There are many, many recipes for Finnish Prune Tarts, the fun part is working out the recipe that is the closest tasting/textural one from your childhood 🙂
      Good luck, Blondie

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