How to make Swedish Christmas saffron buns

In accordance with the classic Swedish Christmas traditions, we’re making a batch of juicy saffron buns filled with almond paste, vanilla and butter today. By using pre-dough, the saffron buns become juicier. Making these buns are an annual tradition for me and it’s one of the best treats Sweden has ever come up with. I eat at least one a day throughout December. You won’t regret trying this recipe, I promise!

Ingredients

Pre-dough

•  500 g milk [5 dl or 2,1 cups] 
• 50 g yeast
•  1 g saffron
•  520 g wheat flour [8.5 dl or 3,5 cups] 

Dough

• 150 g of butter at room temperature
•  170 g of granulated sugar [2 dl or 3/4 cups] 
• 2 g salt [ 2 ml] 
• 320 g flour [5.5 dl or 2 cups] 

Almond filling

•  250 g almond paste
•  25 g Powdered sugar [2 tbsp] 
• 3 g vanilla extract or vanilla powder [1 tsp] 
• 120 g butter at room temperature 

Brushing and decoration 

• 1 egg
• Sweet Almonds
• Powdered sugar

You’ll find the original recipe HERE (in Swedish) by Roy Fares, one of Sweden’s most famous pastry chefs.

Instructions

Saffron dough

1. Start with the pre-dough. Combine the milk with the saffron until 37 celsius or 100 Fahrenheit and dissolve the yeast in it. Mix the milk with the flour, knead into a fine dough. If you have a stand mixer, I recommend you use it with a hook, then run the dough for 5 minutes. Leave with a cloth over and rest for 15-20 minutes.
2. Mix in the remaining ingredients and run at medium speed until the dough feels smooth, glossy and begins to drop from the bowl at the edges. If you do not have a stand mixer, it is important that you knead until you can no longer cope, only then is it ready.
3. Let the dough rest under a cloth for about 20-30 minutes so it releases its tension.

Almond filling

1. Mix almond paste with powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix in a little at a time of the butter until you have a smooth and fine filling.
2. Roll out the dough, about 45×70 cm or 17 x 27 inches and about 0.5 cm or 2 inches thick dough on a lightly floured table.
3. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
4. Grab the top of the dough and fold it over so that you get half a fold. Divide the dough into strips and make small knots by twisting the strip around two fingers like a ball. Place the buns on a sheet of parchment paper. Let ferment properly under a cloth for 1-2 hours.
5. Heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius or 390 fahrenheit. Brush the buns with egg and sprinkle with planed almonds and powdered sugar. Bake in the middle of the oven for 13-15 minutes until your saffron buns have a nice golden brown color.

Will you be trying out this recipe? Let me know in the comments!