Swedish Saffron Buns (St. Lucia Lussekatter)
Holidays, especially the Christmas season, are some of the best times to celebrate traditions across the globe. Each Scandinavian country, and even city, has their own way to ring in the season, through festivals, recipes and decor. Sweden is no different, as they celebrate St. Lucia Day in December during Advent with lussekatter (lussebullar) or saffron buns.
Equipment
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer
- Food and Baking Scale
- Silicone Basting and Pastry Brushes
- Rapid Rise Instant Yeast Fast Acting
- Gourmet Organic Ground Cardamom
- Organic Unbleached Bread Flour
- Grape Vine Dried Grapes
- Saffron Threads
- Baking Trays Half Sheet (2 Pack)
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 1/2 tbsp vodka
- 32 raisins
- 1 1/4 cups of milk
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 cups of bread flour plus extra
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 packet of fast-acting dry yeast 1 1/2 tsp yeast
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature, cut into cubes
- Egg wash: 1 egg with 1 tbsp whisked together
Instructions
- Grind the saffron with a mortar and pestle
- Combine vodka and saffron in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over raisins and let sit.
- In a pot, heat the milk and sugar to 105 degrees F.
- Using a Stand Mixer, sift the flour and salt into the mixer bowl.
- Sprinkle yeast into bowl, and give it a quick stir.
- Using the dough hook, set your speed to SLOW.
- Slowly add in the milk, saffron, cardamom and beaten egg.
- Increase your speed to medium low (KitchenAid 3). Slowly add in the butter one cube at a time.
- If the mix looks too wet, add one tablespoon of flour at a time, but dough should stay a little sticky.
- Knead the dough on medium for another 3 minutes.
- Move the dough to a clean, dry large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow about one hour for the dough to proof (rise) in a warm dry place ( you can set your oven to 95-100 degrees F. Turn it off and set the bowl in the oven to proof).
- Once dough is about double, punch down the dough, knead the dough a few times and then divide dough into about 16 pieces (70 grams each).
- Roll each ball into a long thin stick, about 12 inches long. Set aside all rolls, and then roll each roll again until it's a bit longer and thin (about 14 inches). Start rolling it into an "S" shape, curling each end into a tight swirl. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cover with a clean, dry towel (or plastic wrap).
- Allow the dough to rise (proof) a second time, for at least 30 minutes until saffron buns double in size.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Brush tops of your saffron buns with egg wash. Place a raisin in the center of each swirl (2 raisins per bun).
- Bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.
- Place cooked buns on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.
- Serve warm (you can brush with melted butter before serving too).