Semla
Semla is the traditional Swedish cardamom bun filled with almond paste and topped with a mountain of whipped cream, historically eaten only on Shrove Tuesday, the last day before the start of Lent. The name derives from the German word for fine white bread, and the tradition of eating semla on this day dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was one of the last treats allowed before the restrictions of fasting. In the past, semla was often served submerged in a bowl of warm milk, a combination called "hetvägg", although the current version, eaten plain, is now far more popular. King Adolf Frederick of Sweden is known for a famous 1771 incident, said to have died after consuming excessive amounts of semla at a festive meal, a curious fact that has become part of Swedish culinary folklore. Today, semla season begins right after New Year and lasts until Shrove Tuesday, with bakeries competing for the best version.
Cardamom bun
A sweet roll fragrant with cardamom
Almond paste
Creamy almond filling mixed with the bun's crumb
Cream mountain
A generous peak of whipped cream on top
Winter treat
Traditionally eaten before Lent
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500 g flour
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 150 ml warm milk
- 80 g sugar
- 100 g soft butter
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 200 g almond paste
- 300 ml double cream
- Icing sugar for dusting
How to make it
- 1Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar and let it foam for 10 minutes.
- 2Mix the flour with the remaining sugar and ground cardamom in a large bowl, make a well and add the dissolved yeast and soft butter.
- 3Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic, then cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour, until doubled in size.
- 4Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, round them into smooth balls and place them on a lined tray, leaving space between them.
- 5Let them rise again for 30 minutes, then bake at 200°C for 12-15 minutes, until golden.
- 6Let the buns cool completely, then cut a lid off the top of each.
- 7Scoop out a little of the crumb, mix it with the almond paste and put the filling back inside.
- 8Whip the cream and pile a generous mountain over the filling, then set the lid on at an angle and dust with icing sugar.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
