St Lucia Saffron Rolls

St Lucia Saffron Rolls 

It is soon 13th December and Lucia here in Sweden. And what is a "must" are "Lussebullar" of St Lucia Saffron Rolls. In the morning of Lucia I always give my daughter these for breakfast. Usually we also have these for coffeebreaks around at workplaces and even at home this day. The kids will go in "Luciatåg" and sing and eat Luciabuns, in schools, in daycare, everywhere. It is also most often served wih "Glögg". There are many recipts but I like this one with the Kesella in which makes them moist and very good. Something that also makes them great is real saffron (the threads you crush yourself), hard to find, but I got them. And if you heat the milk and add the saffron and let it rest till the next day you will get the most out of the saffron taste in your buns. Otherwise just follow the recipt. I am all prepared for Lucia with the Luciabuns made! And enough to last over Christmas.

About 35 buns

Ingredients

·                                 5 dl milk

·                                 50g yeast
·                                 1 1/2 dl sugar

·                                 1 g saffron

·                                 17 dl unbleached all-purpose flour, or more as needed

·                                 1/2-1 tsp ground cardamom

·                                 1/2 tsp salt

·                                 250 g kesella
1               150 g butter

·                       

Garnish

·                                 1/4 cup dark raisins

                        1 large egg, lightly beaten for eggwash

Directions

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan just until warm. Remove from the heat. Combine 1 dl of the milk, the yeast, and a pinch of the sugar in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes, or until bubbly. Combine another 2 tablespoons of the milk, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the saffron in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set the remaining milk aside. Melt the butter and cool down.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of the flour, the remaining sugar, the cardamom, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture, the dissolved saffron, and the remaining milk and melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually adding more flour as necessary, until a soft dough forms.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding just a little more flour if necessary, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, shiny , and elastic.

4. Shape the dough into a ball. Put it in a large, lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a log and divide it into 35 equal pieces. Shape each piece into Luciabuns, ”eights”,  as in picture and place the rolls apart on the prepared baking sheet. Wash with eggwash. Garnish with raisins. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 20 minutes, or until almost doubled in size.

6. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Celcius.

7. Bake the rolls for 5-8 minutes, until golden or until the bottom of a roll sounds hollow when rapped with your knuckles. Remove from the oven. Let cool on a rack.