Centuries old, mämmi is a Finnish dessert made from rye flour, powdered rye malt and sugar, and is flavored with orange zest and sometimes raisins.
Formerly associated with Lent and Good Friday, today it is traditionally served during the Easter festivities.
What is mämmi?
Some versions, especially those sold in supermarkets, also contain molasses, which gives it a much sweeter flavor.
Mämmi has a rather unique consistency, somewhere between porridge and pudding. In fact, it could be described as a sort of sweet and doughy version of rye bread, which is a staple of Finnish culinary culture.
This dessert is generally eaten cold, after spending several days in the fridge. It is served sprinkled with sugar and topped with cream, milk, ice cream, or even vanilla sauce. Finns also like to spread it on slices of bread.
What is the origin of mämmi?
Mämmi is a culinary specialty originating in Finland. It is also consumed in Sweden, where it is called memma.
It is said that this dessert was first mentioned in a Latin essay dating from the 16th century. Historians claim, however, that it was created long before that, rather, during the 13th century, in the southwestern region of the country.
At that time, Finland was still Catholic, and mämmi was mainly eaten on Good Friday. Since cooking was forbidden on Good Friday, it was the ideal dish, being prepared a few days in advance to be ready on the big day.
It was also a popular dessert during Lent. Its supposed laxative properties (due to the presence of rye) were thus associated with “the purge” and therefore with the Lenten purification process. Mämmi was prepared at that time in a container made of birch bark.
From the 19th century, it took on a more national scope, and was consumed mainly during the Easter period.
Finns rarely prepare mämmi themselves, and generally prefer to buy it in bakeries and pastry shops where it is made by hand.
Industrial versions can also be found in supermarkets. There they are presented in cardboard packaging, most often decorated with willow branches, one of the symbols of Finnish Easter.
While most Finns are used to consuming this dessert every year around Easter time, its unique taste has divided the country. There are those who love it and those who hate it.
In 2005, an unusual event was held in the town of Toijala, a mämmi tasting championship.
How to make mämmi
Making this dessert is fairly easy but it takes time. Once it is cooked, it should be placed in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before serving.
To prepare mämmi, first the rye and malt flours must be mixed with previously boiled water in several batches. The mixture is then left to stand for about an hour, then heated in a saucepan or pot until it thickens.
The next step is to put the preparation into a mold and bake it in the oven at low temperature. This is the longest part. The dessert should cook for about 3 hours, and it should be a dark brown color.
What are the variants?
In Finland, there are several varieties of mämmi. There are thus variants of this dessert that are flavored with vanilla, chocolate, liquorice, or fruit.
Some chefs also use it as a base to create original versions of other desserts and cakes, such as trifles, pies or cheesecakes.
If this dessert is quite unique in the world, there is a specialty in Iran that looks a bit like mämmi, sumalak (also called samanu, sümölök or samanak).
Sumalak is a kind of sweet paste made from sprouted wheat seeds and water. This dessert is made in March for Nowruz, the New Year in the Persian calendar.
Mämmi
Ingredients
- 5¼ quarts water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3¼ cups malted rye flour (or other malt flour), sifted
- 8 cups rye flour , sifted
- 6 tablespoons orange zest
- 4 tablespoons caster sugar
- 3½ oz raisins (optional)
Equipment
- Rectangular or square mold
Instructions
- Boil 4 cups (1 liter) of water in a large non-stick pan, and pour in a quarter of the rye flour and a quarter of the malted rye flour.
- Mix gently, cover, and let stand.
- Repeat until all the water and flour are used, mixing well each time.
- Cover and let sit for 1 hour.
- Pour the mixture into a large non-stick pan, and mix over low heat, stirring vigorously with a whisk for 25 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 330 F (165°C).
- Add salt, raisins (optional), orange zest, and sugar to the mixture, and mix well.
- Remove from the heat, and pour into a rectangular or square mold.
- Bake for about 3 hours or until the mämmi is dark brown.
- Mämmi is eaten sprinkled with sugar and drenched in whole milk or cream.
Video
Sources
Wikipedia – Mämmi
Wikipedia (FR) – Mämmi
Google Books
Born in France and passionate about travel, Laurie has spent the last few years traveling in many countries. Thanks to these trips, she made beautiful cultural and culinary discoveries, which contributed to her newfound love of cooking.
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