TWD: Finnish Pulla and other Christmas baking

I'm quite late writing this post but lots of baking has been taking place! About a week in advance of the holidays, I prepared almond paste from scratch.  I found how to make the paste in Joy of Cooking and cut the recipe in half.  Very easy to make and much better than buying. 

Almond Paste

Place in food processor:
1 1/2 cups of whole blanched almonds
3/4 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 of granulated sugar

Process until finely ground. Add in:

1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Pulse until it comes together. Use a tablespoon of water if you need it to bring together. This can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap and in a container for a month.

The dough was wonderful to work with.  

.  

When making the braids, I sliced three of them open and added the almond paste

These breads came out so beautiful.  We ate the breads on Christmas Day morning.  We sliced and toasted.  The cardamon is there but very subtle. I would make this bread again, easier than making brioche and just as delicious.



About a week before the holidays as I was looking at Serious Eats (http://www.seriouseats.com/), I saw this recipe for Earl Grey Tea cookies.

So easy.  I highly recommend. The cookies melt in your mouth and at first they taste like a wonderfully perfect butter cookie. And then the floral aroma of the bergamot comes through.

My mother-in-law Ginny made these tasty sweet spicy pecans.  So addictive, when you start eating, you can't stop.



For breakfast on Christmas Eve morning I made Buttermilk Crumb Muffins.  These became a breakfast favorite since we baked a couple of months ago through TWD.

In only a month or so, we'll be coming up on the first full year of participating in this group.  This has been such a wonderful experience that I'm looking forward to continuing.   

Thanks again for understanding the delay in my posting this time. Happy New Year's to everyone.  Here's to baking in 2013.

Cheers,
Broad Brook Baker