Semlor

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Semlor are a very interesting sweet bun filled with usually almond paste (though I have seen other cremes), and topped with whipped cream and some powdered sugar. They are traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday. Here is a Swedish semlor recipe from a local Norrlander.

Ingredients

For buns:

  • 1/2 c. (100g) margarine or butter
  • 1 1/4 c. (3 dl) milk
  • 5 tsp (25g) yeast
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 c. (1 dl) sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp Hjorthorn Salt (Baker’s Ammonia) (We could not find this anywhere in the states, so I recommend you purchase it online) If you want to be lazy, replace with baking power in same amount.
  • 4 c. (9 dl) all-purpose flour

For filling & topping:

  • 10 oz (300 g) almond paste (or marzipan close to 50/50)
  • 16-32oz (500ml) to 1L whipped cream (depending on how much you want to use)
  • powdered sugar (to sprinkle on top)

Directions

The buns:

  1. Melt butter in a pan, add milk and heat until luke warm.
  2. Crumble yeast in a small bowl. Add a little of the lukewarm butter/milk mixture and mix.
  3. Add the rest of the butter/milk mixture, along with salt, sugar, egg baking powder and most of the flour.
  4. Work the dough until it is glossy and smooth and no longer sticks to the bowl. You may need to add more flour if the dough is sticky. Let sit under a baking towel (or hand towel) for 30 minutes.
  5. Take the dough to a breadboard and knead until smooth.
  6. Take an amount about the size of your hand and roll into a ball. Flatten down, fold over, and roll back into a ball multiple times and set aside. Once you have made balls out of all the dough let it sit under a towel until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 225-250C (450F). Bake the buns for 5-8 minutes, until golden brown.

The filling and topping:

  1. Whip some cream!
  2. Put some almond paste in a bowl. Add some whip cream (as much as you want, recommend 50/50) and mix.

Making the Semlor:

  1. Cut the top off of a cool bun and set aside.
  2. Scoop out the middle of the bun and discard (or eat).
  3. Fill the bun with your almond paste mix.
  4. Top with whip cream.
  5. Place the top of the bun on top.
  6. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top

This recipe makes about 12 buns but can vary according to size. You can eat the semlor as is, or with milk.

Recipe from Anton Lundberg.

I recommend you check out this video, it will give you an idea of how to make the semlor buns with the dough and the end. Please ignore the Japanese music 🙂

 

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