A simple, yet festive, salmon sandwich cake

When I first wrote about a sandwich cake on this blog, it was an elaborate multi-layered affair with fancy toppings. This one is so much simpler, but no less prettier or festive. I made it few weeks ago for K's mother's birthday (yep, the same party where K. contributed a lovely cinnamon boston). I can still think of ways of developing this recipe, but it is also good enough as it is, so I'm sharing it with you now and here. It's loosely adapted from this Finnish recipe from Pirkka - the base is directly from them, whereas the topping is all mine:)

A great addition to a buffet table or coffee table - it can be eaten with a small dessert fork.

A simple salmon sandwich cake
(Lõhetort)
Serves 16



Rye bread base:
400 grams full-grain rye bread
75 grams melted butter

Filling:
350 grams cottage cheese/farmers cheese (with 4% fat)
200 grams sour cream/smetana (with 30% fat)
50 ml fresh dill, chopped
1-2 tsp wasabi paste
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Maldon sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp lemon juice
5 sheets of gelatine
200 grams cold smoked salmon or trout in thin slices

To garnish:
fresh dill sprigs
thin lemon slices
slightly crushed pink peppercorns

Crumble the bread into a bowl, add the melted butter and stir until combined. Press the bread mixture into a 24x24 cake tin that has been lined with baking paper. Put into the fridge to set a little.
Soak gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes.
In another bowl, mix cottage cheese, sour cream, dill and cucumber cubes. Season with salt, sugar, mustard and/or wasabi paste, and pepper.
Heat the lemon juice, add the pressed gelatine leaves and let them melt in the hot juice. Pour into the cheese mixture and combine thoroughly.
Spoon the cheese mixture onto the rye bread base and put into the fridge to set for at least four hours.
Cut the smoked salmon or trout slices into 16 long strips, each about 2-2.5 cm wide. Roll them up, twisting edges slightly outside, so you've got 'roses'.
Cut the sandwich cake into 16 squares and top each with a rose. Garnish with thin lemon slices and dill sprigs, sprinkle with slightly crushed pink peppercorns.