Lussekatter: A recipe to give you a true taste of a Swedish Christmas
Lussekatter are sweet saffron buns traditionally served in Sweden on St Lucia's Day, December 13th. The smell of these delicious buns baking is a sure sign that Christmas is on the way!
Freshly baked Lussekatter, decorated with raisins
**What you’ll need:**
- 110g Fresh Yeast
- 400ml Full Fat Milk
- 100ml Single Cream
- 200g Butter
- 1g to 2g Saffron
- 200ml Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1kg Self Raising Flour
**To decorate:**
- 1 Egg (beaten)
- Raisins
A taste of a Swedish Christmas
**Instructions:**
1. Crumble the yeast into a mixing bowl
2. Melt the butter over a low heat, add the milk and cream and heat until it is about 37◦C (it should feel warm to the touch). Add this to the yeast and stir until all the yeast has dissolved.
3. Crush saffron with a pinch of sugar in a pestle and mortar.
4. Add the saffron, salt, sugar, egg and flour to the liquid. Add the flour gradually and knead vigorously to work it into a smooth and silky dough.
5. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl. Cover it with a clean cloth and leave to rise for about an hour.
6. Knead the dough again, and then divide it into 20-30 equal sized pieces.
7. Roll each piece into a rope and form an ‘S’ shape. Press raisins in the middle of each swirl.
8. Place the buns on a baking sheet and leave them to rest for about 15 minutes (or until it has doubled in size), covering them with a clean cloth.
9. Brush the buns with a beaten egg and bake at 200◦C for 8-10 minutes.
