Pappilan hätävara-Finnish old-times traditional dessert recipe
- Sep 19
- 2 min read
There are some recipes that have been forgotten as a regular dish to prepare at home, although they are delicious and easy to make, and can be healthy as well if made with berries and fresh fruits.
The pappilan hätävara recipe is one of those dishes that deserves a comeback as a delightful meal to prepare more frequently. The word pappila means clergy house or vicarage, where the priest used to live close to the church. And the word hätä means emergency and vara means supply. Therefore, this dessert has been traditionally made with a bit of old and dry bread, cakes, or pulla (Finnish round-shaped bun), softened with juice, jam, berries, and sometimes with some cream as well.
This dessert is simple to make and can be prepared using whatever is available in the fridge, like fruits, berries, jams, juices, as well as any biscuits, cakes, or dry bread you have at home.
Ingredients:
Some slices of cake, or some favorite biscuits (pulla viipaleita for best results)
Juice (any favorite fruit/berry juice)
Fruit and berry jams
Cream of your choice (coconut cream is the best option for aroma and taste)
Fresh fruit and berries for topping
Mainos
Instructions:
You can prepare this dessert in a bowl or in a glass.
Place the pieces of cake or biscuits (if using) in your dish.
Pour some juice on top to make them moist.
Add a layer of your jam, plus a layer of cream. To make the cream more aromatic, you can add vanilla extract, cinnamon, or cardamom (optional), and mix it well with the cream.
Cover the whole dish with more fresh fruit and berries.
You can decorate the dessert with more crushed biscuits or granola on top and some almond flakes or toasted nuts such as pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, or peanuts.
Let it sit for at least 15 minutes to allow the moisture to absorb well into the layers. Enjoy.
Tips:
If you prefer a healthier and lighter dessert, you can replace the heavy cream with a Greek-style yogurt of your choice or any favorite yogurt. In case of allergies to nuts, milk, or lactose, one can use oat yogurt, soy yogurt, and coconut yogurt available in shops.
If you prefer a sugar-free version, you can use French-style low-salt white bread, add fruit juice on top to make it moist and sweet, then add layers of your favorite yogurt, fresh fruit, and raisins to sweeten the dessert. Also, one can use chopped dates, dried fruit such as dried figs and apricots to sweeten the dish and use them as a topping together with sweet fresh fruit.
You can personalize the dish by adding one more layer of nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter, as well as some chocolate chips on top, and maple syrup.
