Description
St. Lucia Saffron Buns, also known as Lussekatter, are traditional Swedish sweet buns flavored with fragrant saffron and studded with juicy raisins. These golden-colored buns are soft, slightly sweet, and perfect for festive occasions or cozy afternoons with tea or coffee. This recipe guides you through making the dough enriched with butter and eggs, allowing the saffron to infuse the milk for that distinctive aroma and flavor, and shaping the buns into elegant ‘S’ spirals before baking to a beautiful golden finish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (equivalent to one packet)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup raisins
For the Topping
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Pearl sugar (optional, for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Infuse Saffron: Warm the whole milk until just steaming but not boiling, then remove it from heat. Add the saffron threads to the warm milk and let them steep for 10 minutes to release their color and flavor.
- Activate Yeast: Once the milk is cooled to lukewarm, sprinkle the active dry yeast over the milk along with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir gently and let this mixture sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the remaining sugar, softened unsalted butter, the room-temperature egg, and salt. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and stir until everything comes together into a dough.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, which develops the gluten structure needed for soft, fluffy buns.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Shape Buns: Punch down the risen dough gently to release air. Divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and then shape each rope into an “S” shape to create the characteristic swirl look.
- Add Raisins: Press raisins into each end of the “S” spirals, ensuring they stick well on the dough.
- Second Rise: Arrange the shaped buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover them, and let them rise for an additional 30 to 40 minutes until puffy.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the buns gently with the beaten egg wash, and optionally, sprinkle pearl sugar on top to add sweetness and texture.
- Bake: Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until they turn a beautiful golden brown color. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Steeping saffron in warm milk enhances the flavor and color of the buns, so don’t skip this step.
- Use room temperature ingredients, especially eggs and butter, to ensure the dough mixes evenly.
- If pearl sugar is not available, you can substitute with coarse sugar or omit it altogether.
- Kneading for the full 8-10 minutes is important to develop the right dough texture but avoid over-kneading, which can make buns tough.
- The dough needs to rise twice to develop lightness and flavor – be patient and make sure the environment is warm enough for good yeast activity.
- Serve the buns slightly warm for the best taste, optionally with butter or jam.
