Warm, delicious, and flavored with saffron, these baked St. Lucia buns are a sweet Swedish holiday tradition.
Preparation Time
30 mins
Cooking Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Calories
198 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
Step 2
Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add sugar, butter, salt, and saffron, stirring until butter is melted. Let cool to lukewarm temperature, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl, stirring until dissolved. Stir in milk mixture and 3 1/2 cups flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in eggs. Add remaining flour gradually, mixing in the last by hand until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is very soft.
Step 4
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover with a bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Knead dough with additional flour as needed, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl; flip dough to grease both sides. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.
Step 6
Combine egg yolk and water in a bowl with a whisk. Brush over buns.
Step 7
Return to the oven and continue to bake until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.
Step 8
Punch down dough. Take golf ball-sized bits of dough and roll out into snakes. Roll each end in opposite directions to create 'S' forms. Place buns on the prepared baking sheets.
Step 9
Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving oven on. Quickly place 1 raisin in the center of each 'S' curve.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon raisins, or as needed
0.5 cup butter, softened
0.75 cup white sugar
0.5 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
0.75 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees F/43 to 46 degrees C)
