Ear Buns ‒ Korvapuustit

Random facts about Finnish coffee culture #2:Though coffee table is the main event of any regular family visit and everyone knows it, you shouldn't seem too eager about it. When the hostess first asks guests to come to the table, no one seems to hear. After the second invitation they already start to look at each other, wondering who's the bold one to go first. If no one else is willing to appear as if they came only for the food, the oldest lady (or some other guest of honour) might get offered a chair because it's more comfortable than standing

The second day of MoFo and I still haven't really checked the other blogs. Think tomorrow I'll write you (and myself) a small list of interisting themes I'm especially looking forward to read.

Korvapuusti is easily one of the biggest classics to have with coffee and I must admit there is a reason to it. Its closest cousin is cinnamon roll which I've heard being called both American and Danish invention. If anyone has any further knowledge, do let me know! Korvapuusti's name literally means ear bun because of the cute "ears" it has. The word has also come to mean a slap on a person's ear, probably because someone thought it sounded humorous. There are different versions with different fillings, but this one's the classic. It makes about 16 big ones or 32 small ones.

- 1 portion of pulla dough
- 100 g margarine
- 1 dl farine sugar (stickier and more aromatic than regular)
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
(almond flour, cardamom)

Prepare the dough as normally. When it's ready to be shaped, take half of it and let the other half rest. Roll it into a large rectangle with one long shape and the other somewhat shorter, perhaps 60x30 centimeters or so.

Melt the margarine and use half of it to butter the rectangle. Sprinkle with cinnamon and farine sugar (and if you wish, almond flour and cardamom too). Then roll the rectangle as if you were making a swiss roll and leave the seam under the roll. Cut it into pieces but make the cuts diagonally like this / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ so all the pieces have one long side and one pointy side so they're almost triangles. Flip the pointy side up. Press your finger or a spoon gently but firmly in the middle of the roll so the middle part goes to the table and it's ears flop out. (Here's a helpful diagram). Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Place the big-eared fellows on a baking sheet and cover with a towel. Let them rise for about half an hour. Butter with well sugared coffee and sprinkle with coarse sugar if you wish. Bake in a 225°C oven for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy hot with coffee.

Nutritional values / 1 pulla / 126 g:
energy 390 kcal
fat 13 g
protein 10 g
carbohydrates 58 g
fiber 2 g