The best Semla in Stockholm
The Swedish pastry named ”Semla” plays a huge part of Swedish traditions. This bun-shaped pastry shows up in various forms in bakeries all over the country every winter. Apart from the original semla, I’ve seen them as wraps, cronuts, oatmeal, milkshakes and lattes, all promised to taste like this infamous pastry. Just in time for the traditional Shrove Tuesday holiday in Sweden, I am sharing my thoughts on six versions of the classic semla. They are all bought from five centrally located, well-known bakeries around Stockholm. I’ll also share my favourite, so you won’t have any trouble deciding where you should go for a semla when in town.
What is in a semla?
The Swedish semla consists of a cardamom-spiced wheat bun which has its top cut off, and is then filled with a mix of milk and almond paste topped with whipped cream. The cut-off top serves as a lid and is dusted with powdered sugar.
The bakeries
Valhallabageriet
This was the worst semla in the group. It was definitely okay, but it didn’t really match up with the others quality-wise. The bread felt a bit dry and burned, the almond paste didn’t feel smooth, the lid was too small and the whipped cream was overdone. Other than that, the lines were really long at the bakery and there is really nowhere to sit. I would not recommend this one.
Ritorno
The semla itself was good, they had included whole almonds, which gave an edge to an otherwise quite soft pastry. Both whipped cream and almond paste were great too. The location was, however a bit too classic in my opinion. I would consider it old and dated, with a slightly odd smell which made me uninterested in coming back.
Tössebageriet
One of the Stockholm classics, that also invented the wrap version of the classic semla. Today, the wrap is a bestseller despite costing a hefty 64 SEK. The bread that is used for the wrap is a bit to rough for my taste, and it also had a consistency that I didn’t really appreciate. Other than that, the wrap was good. I liked the almond paste and whipped cream, and the fact that it all blends together really softly. Both the wrap and the classic semla has a touch of vanilla taste, which is quite unique for a semla.
I preferred the classic semla here. It was perfectly soft, the elements of the ingredients blended together well and it had a great consistency. I would list it as the second best semla in this group. This would probably be my go-to place for a Semla, as the place I list as number one can be a little inconvenient to visit.
Bullar & Bröd
Apparently, this one has been awarded ”Semla of the year” by a newspaper in Stockholm, but despite that it didn’t really appeal to me. The lid was too small (I really don’t like when they cut the lid), they weren’t that generous with the almond paste, and it felt more dry than creamy as a whole. It also felt as if they weren’t very fresh and had been there for quite a while before we got them
Lillebrors Bageri
Last but not least, the winner of this challenge. You’ll find these goodies in a tiny bakery in Kungsholmen. Be early because they run out of their stock quite fast. Everything about this one is perfect. The bread is soft, the cardamom taste is just enough, not too much nor too little whipped cream and it all comes together great. What sets this one apart from the others are the Spanish whole almonds that are inside along with the almond paste. They provide an exciting, nutty contrast and it adds some roughness to an otherwise very soft piece of cake. I really appreciated this innovative addition to an otherwise very classic pastry.
Have you tried the Swedish semla? Please share your experience in the comments.
