So many of our favorite recipes around the holidays bring back memories of childhood...of family, laughter, and the warmth and comfort of tradition. No more is this more personified than in the Plum Pinwheels recipe - a traditional Finnish pastry that is surprisingly simple to make at home.
In Finland, Plum Pinwheels are always on the tea table at Christmas time. In Swedish, the word fika means coffee, and it refers to a regular coffee time where people gather around the table to eat and socialize over cups of coffee. In Finland, meals are called “coffee” - there’s morning “coffee” and noon ‘coffee,’ and there is always a spread on the table (bread, cheese, sliced seasonal vegetables, smoked fish, etc...).
Sometimes, in the afternoon, there is a meal called “tea”. This time, the table is set with sweets rather than savory bites. Here, there is herbal tea or hot cocoa for the children. Especially at Christmas time, the table is spread with cakes, cookies, and sweet treats. Plum Pinwheels are always on the table during this time of year.
Learning to make plum pinwheels as an adult was surprisingly simple and rewarding! It looks as though it should be a complex recipe suitable for a chef, but the homemade Danish pastry is simple to prepare. Plums are such a rich and luscious fruit, and when a bit of lemon juice is blended with them in the recipe, it creates a fruity tartness that brings the flavor to life... and they fill your home with a lovely aroma while baking!
We love being able to share some of our traditions and favored recipes from our travels around the world in the Holiday Recipe Guide. There, you will find the recipe for plum pinwheels and more that may inspire a new tradition of a holiday fika in your own home.
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cold water
1 cup softened butter
1. Prepare water dough by combining 1 cup flour with the water and form into a ball. Place in the refrigerator to chill at least 30 minutes.
2. Prepare butter dough by combining 1 cup flour with softened butter and form into a ball. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Roll each dough out to form a 12x16 inch rectangle, and then place the butter dough on top of the water dough. Roll lightly.
4. Fold the bottom third up over the center and roll to ½-inch thick. Turn the dough around and repeat.
5. Continue until the doughs are wholly combined. Then, roll it into a 20 inch square and proceed with the recipe.
1 recipe Danish pastry
1 lb dried plums
3 cups water
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1. Preheat your oven to 400˚F.
2. Combine plums, water, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook until plums are soft. Blend until you have a smooth paste.
3. Cut the pastry into 3-inch squares and place a Tablespoon or so of filling in the center of each mound. From each corner, cut a line to ½ inch from the center. Fold one half of each corner to the center, forming a start. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and transfer the pinwheels to a wire rack to cool. Serve and enjoy!