Why it works: Sugar and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 21% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 122,807 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Joulutortut
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the filling
Soak the prunes in water with sugar for a few hours.
Cook the soaked prunes until soft.
Remove the pits and chop the prunes into jam-like consistency.
Shape the tarts
Roll out the pastry dough to about 1/4" thickness.
Cut the dough into desired shapes.
For round shapes, place a spoonful of prunes, turn the edge over to form a semi-circle, and pinch edges closed tightly.
For square shapes, cut corners in half toward the center and place a small amount of filling in the center.
To form pinwheels, turn every other peak toward the center.
Alternatively, for square shapes, turn all peaks toward the center.
Bake
Baste the filled tarts with beaten egg.
Bake at 425°F for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 5 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Pastry | not in our table | 0 |
| Prune | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Prunes
- Provide the sweet, sticky filling that becomes jam-like when cooked and chopped.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the prunes and helps them soften and form a thick filling.
- Egg
- Brushed on as a basting wash to give the pastry a golden, glossy browning.
- Ready-to-use pastry dough
- Forms the tender, flaky shell that holds the prune filling while baking.
The step that matters
Pinch the edges closed tightly. If the seams are not sealed well, the filling can leak out and burn in the oven, leaving the tarts dry and hollow. Tight pinching keeps the juicy filling inside as the pastry bakes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes
Spice Cake344 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.