This is a traditional Swedish recipe. The origin of its name is a bit of a mystery: some people link it to Lucifer, others to Santa Lucia, Saint Lucy, because it is on 13th December, Saint Lucy’s day, when these soft and fragrant buns are traditionally baked – nothing of course stops you from enjoying them any other day of the year!
If you want to know more about the story of this Swedish recipe, click here (https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/lussekatter-swedish-saffron-buns).
Our version differs slightly from the most common one because we add a little powdered cardamom: untraditional as it is, it gives the most wonderful twist.
It comes, with just a few tweaks, from a really good book: Scandilicious Baking, by Signe Johansen.
For 12 buns:
325 ml of milk
0.10 gr. of Zappoh! saffron
15 gr fresh yeast (or 7 gr instant dry yeast)
50 gr butter, melted
500 gr plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 tablespoons cane sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 egg, plus some more to glaze
raisins
Gently heat the milk in a small pan.
As it heats, crush the saffron threads. Leave some whole, if you want – it is lovely to see them in the dough.
When the milk is hot – not boiling – remove the pan from the heat and add the saffron. Let it steep for at least 45 minutes (the longer, the better).
Combine all the dry ingredients in a roomy bowl.
Heat up the milk and saffron mix until it is barely warm and add the yeast. Leave it for a few minutes, then add the melted butter and the egg. Whisk well to combine.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix, using a fork. Transfer the dough to a floured surface: it will be quite sticky and that is as it should be.
Knead the dough until it feels elastic and smooth, adding a little flour if strictly necessary, transfer it to a mixing bowl, cover with a clean tea towel or with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1-1 ½ hours (the oven with the light on is the perfect place).
Transfer the dough onto a floured surface, knock it back and divide it into 12 small portions.
Roll each piece into a sausage and shape it as an S.
Place the buns on a baking tray lined with baking paper and leave them to proof again in a warm spot for about 30 minutes, covered.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200° C.
Push a raisin in the bends of the S-shaped buns and glaze them with some egg wash, then bake them for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
Traditionally, lussekatter are served with hot chocolate for the children and mulled wine for the adults.