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Runebergintorttu
Runebergintorttu: Porvoo almond cakes with raspberry jam and an icing ring, for 5 February
Runeberg's torte is baked in Finland for 5 February, the birthday of the national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, who lived in Porvoo; the story is that his wife Fredrika made these from what was in the cupboard. They are small cylinders of moist almond and breadcrumb cake, soaked in syrup, topped with a dot of raspberry jam inside a ring of white icing. The syrup is often flavoured with rum or arrack punch; this recipe uses orange juice and almond extract, so it is alcohol-free. A common mistake is soaking the cakes while they are cold; they absorb the syrup unevenly. Chef's tip: soak them while still warm, and bake in muffin tins if you have no torte moulds.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the cakes
- 4 oz soft butter
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup double cream
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flour
- 2 ½ oz ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
For the syrup
- ½ cup water
- 1 ¾ oz sugar
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- ¼ tsp almond extract
To finish
- 8 tsp raspberry jam
- 2 ⅞ oz icing sugarmixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 375°F (fan 350°F) and butter 8 torte moulds or muffin holes.
Step 2: Beat 4 oz soft butter and 3 ½ oz sugar, then 1 egg and ¼ cup double cream. Fold in 2 ⅞ oz plain flour, 2 ½ oz ground almonds, 1 ¾ oz fine breadcrumbs or crushed biscuits, 1 tsp baking powder and ½ tsp ground cardamom. Spoon into the moulds.
Step 3: Bake for 18–20 minutes, until golden and springy.
20 minStep 4: Boil ½ cup water and 1 ¾ oz sugar for 2 minutes, then add 3 tbsp orange juice and ¼ tsp almond extract.
2 minStep 5: Turn out the warm cakes and spoon the syrup over each. Common mistake: soaking them cold.
Step 6: Pipe a ring of 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar on top of each and put a teaspoon of 8 tsp raspberry jam in the middle.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does runebergintorttu take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of soft butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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