Make This Swedish Semlor Dessert Now!

The first time I ever went to Stockholm to visit my husband, Sven, was during February a few years back. One of my all-time fave memories of that magical, cold Swedish winter trip was eating tons and tons of Semlor! Semla (Semla are singular/Semlor is plural) are cream-filled puff pastries that historically Nordic peeps (Swedes, Finns, etc) would eat in February right before Lent. They are still a seasonal treat and soooo yummy, especially with coffee or tea, or your warm beverage of choice!

They are a little arduous to make, so if you are lucky enough to have a Swedish bakery in your town, you can buy a Semla. Or you can be adventurous as a viking and try this recipe I adapted.

Makes 8 Semlor

Ingredients

3 1/2 tablespoon melted butter (or Earth Balance vegan spread)

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup milk (almond, oat, or flax milk work great!)

1 packet of dried yeast

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg (or substitute 3 tbsp meal soaked in 1tbsp water)

3 1/2 cups flour

Filling:

Whipped cream (you can make a vegan version with canned coconut milk and pow

Smaklig Måltid!

dered sugar)

Almond Paste

Powdered sugar

Mix the milk, melted butter and egg in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix yeast, sugar, salt, cardamom, and flour. Add the dry mix to the liquid mix a little bit at a time, while stirring . Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a floured table, the dough should be a little bit sticky but you should be able to knead it and make a smooth ball. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour.

Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with a dish towel for 30 minutes.

When your dough rises, cut it into 8 round buns. Leave them under the towel again for 20 minutes.

Brush with whisked egg and bake them in the oven on 425 until they are golden brown, around 15 mins.

Once cool, cut a slice about 1/2 inch thick off of the top of the bun and set aside.  Scoop out some of the buns inside to make room for the filling.

Whip together cream, almond paste, and a little powdered sugar and fill your semla. Put your top back on and dust with powdered sugar!

Enjoy!!