December 4, 2024

 

 

In our 4th Yule Calendar surprise, Master Elbi shares us a festive sweet bun recipe that will get any hobbit into a merry mood.

He has made this fancy painting where he is enjoying a feast in a snowy land. Click on the painting to make it larger and take a look at the recipe. You can also find the recipe as text below the picture.

I believe that these buns are traditionally eaten on Saint Lucy's Day on 13th December, but I am pretty sure that they taste marvellous on other days of the year too!

 

Lussekatter

Scandinavian Yule Treat

recipe by Elbidoc

 

Ingredients (for 30)

 

Ingredients (saffron dough):

50 g room temperature yeast

500 g room temperature milk (5 dl)

1 g of saffron

250 g soft, room temperature butter

200 g caster sugar (2 dl)

1 tbsp vanilla sugar

1 egg

1 dl soaked raisins

14-15 dl wheat flour

1 tsp salt

 

Ingredients (brushing):

1 egg, 1 pinch of salt and a dash of water

 

Ingredients (sugar layer):

0.5 dl granulated sugar

1 dl water

 

I. Crumble the yeast into the wheat flour in a bowl and add the milk. Mix until the yeast completely dissolved in the milk.

II. Then put in the saffron, butter cut into pieces, vanilla sugar, caster sugar, eggs and half of the wheat flour. Work together into a sticky dough and then add the salt and more flour as needed.

III. Knead properly for at least 10 minutes with a machine, and a little longer if you do it by hand. Divide the dough into 30 equal-sized pieces and shape into lussebuns.

IV. Place all buns on sheets lined with parchment paper, spaced well apart in between, stick some raisins in the lussebuns and leave to rise under a baking sheet for 2-3 hours depending on the temperature in your kitchen. To be sure they are fully fermented, if you press a little lightly the buns and dough “bounces back”.

V. Brush the buns with the beaten egg. If you want to decorate with granulated sugar, do it after brushing with egg. Bake them at 200°C (top and bottom heat) for about 15 minutes or until they have a nice golden brown colour.

VI. Prepare the syrup while the buns are baking in the oven. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar crystals melt. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. Brush the buns with the syrup as soon as they come out of the oven.

VII. Store in an airtight jar / plastic bag at room temperature.