Buzz
If you forgot to order a king cake this year, don’t worry. Mardi Gras always seems to sneak up (since holidays like Easter shift around the calendar), but there’s still time to make something festive. If you’re a fan of almond paste and whipped cream like I am, the Swedish semla bun will quickly become your go-to treat this season. Here are two ways to make them: the traditional method and the shortcut method.
Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, is tomorrow. In Christian tradition, it marks the day before Lent begins, leading up to Easter. It's a time to give up luxuries like cream, butter, and sugar. Rather than tossing these indulgences, people would combine them into rich cakes, breads, and pancakes. While we have better storage now, it's still a fun tradition to enjoy these classic foods on the holiday.
Swedish semlor (singular: semla) are soft, buttery buns made with eggs. Once baked, the buns are hollowed out and filled with a sweet almond paste, then topped with a dollop of whipped cream, and finished with the original bread lid. Although these might sound like a dessert, they’re not overly sweet. Personally, I think they’re perfect for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee or tea, but you can enjoy them whenever you like.
How to Make Semlor Buns from Scratch
1. Prepare the dough
I began with a Semlor recipe from Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break and made a few tweaks along the way. It's a fairly standard bread dough method. Start by blooming the instant yeast in warm milk, then add melted butter, an egg, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and crushed cardamom seeds. I also adjusted the recipe to use cardamom powder instead of whole seeds, in case you don’t have them. The powdered version still gives the dough that lovely aroma, though it doesn’t leave little bits scattered throughout.
I mixed the dough in a stand mixer using a dough hook for about 10 minutes. The dough will form into a mass, with just a bit sticking to the bottom of the bowl.
2. First proofing stage
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Fold the edges inward like a “purse” and pinch them together. Flip the dough over and shape it into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough in it, making sure to coat the top with some oil as well. Cover it and let it rise for about an hour, or until it has nearly doubled in size. Keep in mind that proofing may take longer if your home is on the cooler side.
3. Shape and Second Proofing
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface once again. The dough should feel airy and soft. Fold it in half and stretch it into a rectangle. Divide the dough into at least 12 pieces, or up to 16 pieces, depending on your preference. I chose to make 16 smaller buns. Roll each piece into a ball and arrange them on two parchment-lined baking sheets. If you're unsure about shaping dough balls, check out my video on shaping dough balls. Cover the trays with a large plastic bag or a damp tea towel to prevent the dough from drying out while it proofs. Let the buns rise for another hour. When you gently press one of the dough balls and your fingerprint leaves an impression that bounces back halfway, they’re ready for baking.
4. Bake
Brush the buns with egg wash and bake them for about 15 minutes at 350°F. The buns will turn a light golden brown. Once they’re done, let them cool completely. At this stage, I recommend only keeping out the buns you plan to eat today or tomorrow. Bag up the rest and freeze them to enjoy semlor on another day.
5. Cut and Fill the Semlor
To finish the buns, slice a small ‘lid’ off the top of each one. Hollow out the centers, leaving a quarter-inch wall around the edges to keep their shape. Place half of the bread crumbs into a medium bowl (break them into fine crumbs if necessary). For the filling, mix the crumbs with almond flour, sugar, almond extract, salt, and enough milk to create a moist paste. Press enough almond paste into each bun to fill it. Then, spoon (or pipe with a star tip) a generous mound of sweetened whipped cream on top of the almond paste. Replace the ‘lids’ and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with a hot cup of coffee and enjoy!
“I Can’t Wait” Semlor Buns (Cheater’s Method)
Hey, Fat Tuesday might be your last chance to indulge before Easter, and if that’s the case, you don’t have time to waste.
1. Buy some delicious sweet rolls
No need to make bread from scratch—just pick up some soft, buttery rolls. Most grocery stores offer packs of brioche buns or King’s Hawaiian rolls. Skip the hard work and grab those instead.
2. Cut and Fill the Semlor
Look at that! You've already made it to Step 5 in no time. If the buns are stuck together, separate them and slice a small “lid” off the top. Carefully hollow out the rolls, especially if they’re soft. Take half of the breadcrumbs and put them in a bowl for the filling. Mix in almond flour, sugar, almond extract, salt, and milk to create the paste. Fill each bun with almond paste, then top with sweetened whipped cream. Place the bread lid back on, dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy! With a semla hack this simple, there’s really no reason not to make one today.
This recipe covers the bread part, but if you’re skipping the homemade rolls, jump straight to Step 5 and use the measurements for the almond filling and whipped cream.
Semlor Buns Recipe
(Adapted from Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break.)
Ingredients for the bread:
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
7 tablespoons melted and cooled butter
1 room temperature egg
¼ cup sugar
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
Egg wash
For the almond filling:
Half of the crumbs from the bread
2 cups almond flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup milk (or water)
For the whipped cream:
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar (plus extra for garnish)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Begin by preparing the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk and yeast. Stir after letting it sit for a minute. Next, add the butter, egg, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Attach the dough hook and mix the ingredients, kneading the dough for about 10 minutes until it forms a ball that feels slightly tacky.
2. Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Place the ball in an oiled bowl, cover it, and let it proof for an hour or until it nearly doubles in size.
3. Once the dough has proofed, move it to a floured surface again. Fold it in half and stretch it into a rectangular shape. Divide the dough into 12 to 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and arrange them on two baking sheets, ensuring they are spaced about two inches apart. Cover them with a plastic bag or tea towel and let them proof for another hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F during this time.
4. Brush the buns with an egg wash and bake them for 15 minutes or until they are lightly browned and firm to the touch. Let them cool completely before proceeding.
5. Slice off the tops of each bun and set them aside. Hollow out the centers of the buns, saving half of the crumbs in a medium bowl. Discard the remaining crumbs or use them for other purposes. Add the almond filling ingredients to the bowl and mix until a thick paste forms. If it seems too dry, add a little more milk. Spoon or press the almond paste into each bun.
Whip up all the ingredients for the whipped cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form. (Click here to check what stiff peaks should look like.) Generously spoon or pipe the whipped cream onto each semla, adding a decorative touch with a star tip if desired, then top each bun with its bread lid. Finally, dust with some extra powdered sugar.
