Finska Pinnar (Finnish Sticks)

FinnFest 2017

2 ½ cups sifted flour

½ cup sugar

½ pound softened butter

1 tsp almond extract

1 egg (beaten)

½ cup finely chopped blanched almonds, pearl sugar, raw sugar or crushed loaf sugar

Combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter. 

I finally bought a pastry blender! So much easier than using a fork.

The mixture should form crumbs the size of a pea. Sprinkle the almond extract over the top. Knead the mixture lightly but well to distribute the flavoring. Divide the dough into eight parts.

This dough is VERY flaky. When it says to roll the dough below you might do better to just kind of, like, squeeze. It'll stay together better that way.

With lightly floured hands, roll the dough into long strips about the thickness of your little finger. Cut into 2-inch lengths, press the tops with your finger to flatten slightly. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart Brush the tops with the beaten egg, sprinkle with the almonds and pearl sugar. Bake in a 350F oven for 12-15 minutes. Or until a delicate golden brown.

You'll notice that my sugar looks strange. I found this article online that said I could make my own "pearl sugar" by mixing sugar with maple syrup and letting it harden overnight. So that's what you see here, and it's weird. Just buy pearl sugar.

My Rating: 4/5 "I love love love shortbread things and almond things, so this recipe made me very happy. The flaky dough makes for kind of a brittle, dryish cookie, but at the same time the buttery nutty flavor is delicious. Good stuff!"