Happy Fat Tuesday!

If you haven't indulged in a few semlor yet, nows the time! When I was searching for some semlor pictures I came across this Swedish bar and grill in London called Fika. That is their lovely photo of a semla bun. If you live in London you should probably go there and try their herring, cream cheese and cucumber breakfast waffle - it sounds delish.

Back to semlor. If you don't know what semlor are they are a cardamom flavored bun with almond paste and whipped cream inside and on top. Some Swedes eat their semlor bun in a bowl of milk. I've never tried that but I'm sure it's delicious. They're sooo good.

This is one of those days were I especially wish my apartment had an oven so I could whip up a batch. Alas, I can't. But maybe you can, so here's a recipe!

Semlor Recipe

adapted from Scandinavian Kitchen

25 grams fresh yeast

75 grams butter

200 ml milk

2 eggs

1 tsp salg

1 tsp ground cardamom (I usually use more than in the recipe)

500 ml sugar

700 ml flour

2 tsps baking powder

Filling:

marizipan

approx 500 ml whipping cream

powdered sugar for dusting

Melt butter and add the milk. Activate the yeast and once mixture is cool enough add the yeast to the milk and butter. Add the salt, cardamom, 1 egg, sugar and 600 ml of the flour. Knead until mixture is worked into a smooth dough. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Mix the baking powder and remaining flour together and knead into the dough. Cut dough into 12 pieces and roll into buns. Place buns on a cookie sheet and let them rise for 35-45 minutes. Beat the remaining egg and brush the tops.

Heat oven to 400 F and bake for 10 minutes, remove and cover with a cloth and let cool. Once cool cut out a small hole in each bun. Put some marzipan in the hole and then add whipped cream. Replace the "top" to the bun and dust with powdered sugar.