Swedish Semlor buns
This is perhaps my very favourite enriched dough to make and to eat.
I first encountered a semla bun in Angeelika Kang’s wonderful baking book, ‘Ovenly Delights’, a book I bought for myself on a winter break in Tallinn, after visiting Angeelika’s delightful Levier patisserie in Kalamaja. Since coming home, her book is a staple in my recipe book library for excellent instructon on how to make the kind of treats you only find in patisseries.
Since discovering this recipe and first making them at home, we have taken two trips to Sweden - Sweden’s West Coast and a Stockholm workation - but never having been there in the Lenten or Easter period (which is when these tend to feature in Swedish bakeries), we have never had the chance to try these in their native land.
Oh well - just going to have to keep making them at home.
My recipe below is derived and modified from Angeelika’s original.
BATCH & BUN SIZE
My estimates are based on a 60-80g size bun per person. This recipe will make about 12 buns, give or take.
INGREDIENTS
Dough
250ml full fat milk
24g active dry yeast (not fresh or instant)
100g caster sugar
½ tsp (2g) fine salt
500g strong white bread flour
100g softened unsalted butter
2 egg yolks (30-40g)
30 cardamom pods
Crème Chantilly Filling
600ml whipping cream
4 tbsp icing sugar
For brushing
Egg white + a dash of full fat milk
METHOD
Put the oven on. 50°C (fan or regular).
Remove the cardamom seeds from the pods. Lightly grind in a pestle and mortar. Don’t overdo it – you want to taste and bite into the cardamom seeds in the finished bun.
Warm the milk. Weigh milk into a small saucepan with a temperature probe – heat over medium to 37°C (will take about 4-5 mins). Do not let it exceed 43°C - this will kill the yeast.
Weigh out the remaining ingredients. While the milk is heating, weigh the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, egg yolk, butter and ground cardamom into a large mixing bowl. NOTE! If using dry yeast, weigh this into a separate bowl and hydrate with the warm milk before the next step.
Knead. Once the milk has reached 37°C, pour the warm milk into the stand mixer bowl. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth – a dough scraper can be very helpful at the start of the process when it is quite sticky. You are aiming for a ball of soft pillowy dough that is just lightly tacky.
It may be a little sticky when you start but resist the temptation to add more flour to it. You'll find that with a little work, the dough will begin to lose its stickiness and become smoother and more elastic.
First Proof. Turn the dough out, ball off the dough and place into a large glass mixing bowl. Cover with cling film that is stretched drum-tight across the top. Place in the oven to prove for 45 mins to 1 hour, by which time it should have doubled in size and the cling film will have inflated to a dome. A light press on the dough and it will readily spring back.
******************** WAIT 45 MIN to 1 HOUR **********************
Divide the dough. Once proved, roll the dough into a rough sausage shape and use a sharp knife to cut as equal as you can before weighing each section - you want either 60g (small) or 80g (medium) per ball.
Shape the dough and space out. You are aiming for a domed ball shape with the seam of the dough on the underside. Using one finger, press the sides into the middle. Repeat this several times; you will probably notice the dough getting firmer as you do this. Flip over and using the two edges of your hands, cup under the dough to form a nicely rounded and smooth ball. Plqce onto a lined baking sheet, well-spaced apart, and repeat for the remaining buns.
Second Proof and heat oven. Leave to rise for another 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan, 190°C regular.
Alternatively, if you are prepping in advance, place the buns either in the fridge or the freezer at this point, for baking later. See further notes on storage below.
Egg wash. Wash the tops of each bun – either with a beaten whole egg, or - to avoid waste - some egg white beaten with a dash of cream or milk, whatever you have. Apply wash carefully and precisely, try not to miss any bits for the most professional glossy finish.
Bake. Bake in the middle of the oven:
10-11 minutes for a small bun
12-15 minutes for a medium bun – no more - until the tops are golden brown
Cool completely. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving (otherwise, the cream will get melty)
******************** WAIT 45 MIN to 1 HOUR **********************
Fill with cream. Whip the cream with the icing sugar, slice off the top of the bun and, for the most professional finish, use a star nozzle to pipe in the cream before replacing the lid and lightly dusting with icing sugar.
STORAGE & FREEZING
Most enriched dough is best eaten on the day it is baked – though you can get away with up to about 48 hours if you keep it in an airtight container but by this time, it won’t be as special and will likely be a bit dry and a bit tough
To freeze before baking (freshest result)
Put into the freezer in an airtight container, just before the second proof.
When you want to bake them, take them out of the freezer and immediately place onto the lined baking sheet that you plan to bake them on. Leave in a warm place to thaw and rise - the time for this will vary depending on the temperature of the room though I typically find about 2-3 hours for these. You will need to check the dough regularly; it needs to be baked as soon as it has completed its defrosting (it should feel slightly puffy and your finger should leave an indentation if the dough is pressed lightly.) Now continue the recipe from the baking step.
To freeze after baking (most convenient)
Freeze on the day of baking immediately after they have cooled.
To serve, warm in the oven for 15 minutes at 160°C fan (no need to preheat – put straight in on a tray). After this time they should be fully defrosted, warm and slightly softened – almost as good as freshly baked.