Lussekatter (Lucia Buns)
These buns are called "Lucia" cats because they look like sweet little curled up cats. They are soft, fluffy and sweet with a distinct saffron flavor and an amazing yellow hue!
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads (if you do have pre-ground saffron instead, make sure to just use a pinch of it! A little goes a long way!)
- 400 ml (1 3/4 cup) milk
- 2 tsp instant yeast (2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 17.5g fresh yeast)
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 750 grams (6 cups) all-purpose flour
- 70 grams (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg for egg wash
- Raisins (for decoration)
Instructions
- Grind the saffron threads as finely as possible using the back of a spoon or if you have one, a mortar and pestle. Warm up about 57 ml (1/4 cup) of milk and pour over the saffron, stirring well. Leave this to steep/dissolve for at least 1-2 hours, until the majority of the saffron has dissolved. You may have to reheat the milk to keep it warm which will help it dissolve a little faster.
- Heat the remaining milk, in the microwave or a saucepan, until it is “fingervarm” (finger warm), meaning it should feel warm to the touch but not hot. Add your yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar, stir, and leave it for 5-10 minutes until the mixture starts to bubble up, meaning your yeast is alive and not expired.
- Add the salt, remaining sugar (5 tbsp), saffron mixture, egg, and egg yolks to a large bowl and mix well. Once the yeast mixture has bubbled up a bit, add it to the egg mixture. Mix well.
- Slowly add the flour and softened butter, mixing with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky; it should be soft and smooth, not too sticky nor too dry. Use a stand mixer if you would prefer!
- Cover the dough with cling film or a clean dishtowel and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, divide into 16 equal sized pieces.
- Begin shaping the buns by rolling out each piece into a log.
- Then, curl one end inward until you reach the middle.
- Repeat the same thing with the other end but curl in the opposite direction (see photo for visual explanation!) Repeat until you have 16 Lucia buns.
- Place the buns on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and cover to let rise for another 45 minutes to an hour until doubled in size. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 410 degrees F (210 degrees C).
- Once ready, make an egg wash by combining an egg with a little bit of water and whisking together.
- Brush the buns with the egg wash and place a raisin on top of each swirl (2 per bun). You can also top with pearl sugar, but this is optional!
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the buns are lightly golden. Enjoy these sweet rolls with a cup of tea or just on their own!