Joulutortut

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. 2

   Boil 1 bag of pitted prunes with 1/4 cup of water 1/2 cup of sugar and a couple teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. After boiling let this mixture simmer for about 30 minutes until it is soft. Give it a stir once in a while. This simmering also give the kitchen a lovely Finnish Christmas scent.

3. 3

   Mix all the dough ingredients in a large bowl with your hands (it must be with your hands no mixers no spoons). Once all the ingredients are well mixed let the dough chill for a few hours. Then sprinkle flour on your clean kitchen counter. Take half the dough out leave the other half in the fridge. Roll it out and cut into several 3-inch squares with a knife. Cut slits in all four corners of each square. Fill the center with a couple teaspoons of the prune filling. Then create the star by pulling down alternate corners of the square. Press the alternate corners down into the filling to make them stick. Do the same with the second half of the dough.

4. 4

   Bake Joulu Tortut on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degree F for well until you start to smell the butter and cream cheese- about 15 minutes. But really just peer in the over and look at them. If they have a nice golden color they re done. Cool on wire racks.

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