Happy December 11th. For today I’ve baked the most delicious spongy swirls inspired by Swedish St. Lucia Buns. In Sweden, you eat them on 13 December. Saffron is used in this dough, and it’s what gives the buns their lovely yellow color. I’ve made my own version and transformed the buns into swirls with a vanilla filling and raisins. They are scrumptious and are perfect to bake on weekends. The swirls tastes best served warm. Enjoy!
Snegle inspireret af svenske luciaboller
Ingredients
Swedish St. Lucia Buns as swirls (makes about 15)
50 g yeast
200 ml whole milk, lukewarm
0.5 g saffron, ground
2 eggs
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
- 500 g flour
100 g butter, cubed and at butter
1 beaten egg for an egg wash
Vanilla filling
120 g butter, butter
100 g sugar
150 g grated marzipan
2 tsp. vanilla paste or vanilla powder
Sugar syrup
50 g water
50 g sugar
Extras
100 g raisins
Approach
Swedish St. Lucia Buns as swirls
Stir the yeast into the lukewarm milk. Add the saffron and then a little of the flour along with the eggs, salt and sugar. Then add the rest of the flour a little at a time, while also adding the butter a little at a time. Knead the dough well until it becomes glossy and supple and releases from the bowl. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Vanilla filling
Mix all the ingredients well with a fork and set aside on the kitchen counter until needed.
Sugar syrup
Boil the water and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Let it cool.
How to make the swirls
Roll the dough out into a square on a floured surface. Spread the vanilla filling around the entire dough, making sure to go all the way to the edges. Sprinkle on the raisins. Roll the dough into a long sausage and cut it into equal-sized swirls. Place the swirls on a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving a little space between them. Allow the swirls to rise for 30 minutes as the oven heats to 200 C. Brush the swirls with the egg wash and bake them for 20-25 minutes until golden. Take them out of the oven and brush them with the sugar syrup. Eat the swirls while they are still warm. Enjoy!
