All of Finland bakes Ulla Pyymäki: wonderful summer treats

At the beginning of the year, the students and staff of the Varelius school in Sastama had one big, common topic of conversation: the Koko Suomi leipoo contest on television.

Teaching third grade Ulla Pyymäki namely participated in the favorite show, and made it all the way to the series finale. Even though he didn’t win, Pyymäki is still excited about participating in the program.

– I would leave again immediately if I could, he laughs.

– It’s been great to hear how much joy the program has brought to people. I have been told how it has even brought families together to bake together.

Pyymäki bakes weekly at home, and she has also baked with the students.

– During Christmas, we made pepperoni, and I have taught an optional Taste Travel course at school.

Ideas for social media

Pyymäki diligently searches for baking ideas on blogs and social media, among other things, and also has a baking-themed Instagram account @kakulla_.

The account is a diary for him, which can be used to keep track of what has been baked and when. With the program, its popularity soared to new heights. More than 2000 more followers came.

However, Pyymäki does not plan to turn baking into a new profession, preferring to consider it a beloved hobby.

For his own family’s celebrations, Pyymäki is happy to bake something to offer.

In his opinion, the flavors of the summer coffee table in particular should be fresh.

– For example, I prefer cream cheese instead of mayonnaise on sandwich cakes. As a filling, for example, smoked fish is suitable, it is somehow suitable for summer, advises Pyymäki.

According to him, savory pies are also a great thing to offer.

Flavors of the season

In sweet treats, Pyymäki prefers the flavors of the season. In early summer, strawberries and rhubarb, later blueberries and raspberries.

– Britakakku is an unsurpassed summer cake. Meringue is suitable for summer, it lasts well.

In addition to fresh berries, edible flowers can be used in servings, which are suitable as decorations not only for baked goods but also, for example, for salads or drinks.

For Pyymäki, participating in the Koko Suomi leipoo program brought new friends and memorable experiences.

– The feedback I received from Pullakranssi is very memorable, he recalls.

We asked Pyymäki to give our readers a few tips for summer parties.

The fresh cheesecake is a coffee table crown suitable for many occasions, and the easy cookies are decorated with edible flowers. These treats are also eye candy!

Summer flower cookies

The recipe makes 16 cookies.

Supplies:

100 g room temperature, soft butter

1 ½ dl sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar

1 egg

2 1/2 dl wheat flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 dl roasted and salted pistachios, crushed into small pieces

50 g of white chocolate

1 tsp orange blossom water (can be left out)

2 tablespoons of dried, edible flower petals, e.g. marigold, cornflower

different edible flowers on top of the cookies

egg white for lubrication

1. Beat soft, room temperature butter and sugars until frothy. Add the egg, mixing well. Add wheat flour mixed with baking powder. Finally, add finely crushed pistachios and white chocolate to the dough, as well as orange blossom water and dried flowers. Put the dough in the fridge to harden.

2. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Wash the flowers carefully, but gently. You can use, for example, cornflowers, velvet roses, siren flowers, gorse, horsman flower, violet or marigold. Roll the dough into a disk and punch round cookies of about 7 cm from it, for example using a glass. Place the cookies on the baking paper. Leave some room for spread.

3. Brush the cookies with egg white and place edible flowers on top of the cookies. Brush the flowers with egg white. Bake in the oven for about 7–8 minutes, until the edges of the cookies have acquired just a little color. Be careful not to burn the cookies!

Attention! If you can’t find orange blossom water, the cookies taste great without it.

A peach dream

Fresh baked peach cheesecake with mint mousse and hazelnut crumble for 12 people.

Base:

200 g (gluten-free) digestive biscuits

150 g of butter

½ dl hazelnut meal

Filling:

235 g (1pc) peach halves

400 g of seasoned cream cheese

150 g of sour cream

4 eggs

1.25 dl granulated sugar

2 tablespoons of Maizena

1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar

Mint Mousse:

4 dl whipped cream

2 dl fresh mint

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Crumble:

1 dl sugar

1 dl hazelnut meal

Manufacturing instructions

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.

2. Crush the digestives into small crumbs. Melt the butter and mix it into the cookie crumbs. Add hazelnut meal. Mix to a smooth mass. Place baking paper in a 22cm springform pan. Spread the cookie base on the bottom and sides of the pan to a height of about 2-3 cm. Put in the fridge while you make the filling.

3. Drain the broth from the peach halves. Purée the peaches with a stick blender. It doesn’t matter if there are a few small pieces left in the puree. Soften the fresh cheeses in another bowl. Add sour cream, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla sugar to the cream cheese. Finally, add the eggs one by one, mixing well. Finally, add the peach puree.

4. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and bake in the oven for 50-60 min. The cake is ready when the kitchen smells wonderful, the edges of the cake have taken on a little color and look firm.

5. Do not remove the pan! First cool the cake to room temperature and then put it in its pan in the fridge to make it the next day.

Hazelnut Crumble:

1. Spread the sugar on the frying pan. Heat the sugar until it melts almost completely. Don’t burn sugar

2. Stir in the hazelnuts and stir until the mixture is copper brown. Spread the mass on the silicone base. Note: the mixture is very hot! When the crumble has completely cooled, crush it into crumbs.

Mint foam:

1. Measure 4 dl of whipped cream into a small pot. Mix in 2 dl of fresh mint leaves. Boil mint leaves and cream for about a minute, then leave to cool at room temperature.

2. Put the cream with the mint leaves in the fridge. The next day, strain the mints out of the cream and whip the cream, add sugar and beat until smooth.

Assembling the cake:

1. Take the overnight cheesecake out of the fridge. Carefully remove the edge and lift the cake onto a beautiful serving dish. Remove the baking paper from below.

2. Spread the mint cream on top of the cake, leave it wavy. Decorate the cake with hazelnut crumble and fresh mint leaves.

Please note that nut allergy sufferers can leave nuts out of the recipe.