Lucia Buns (Lussekatter)

Last newsletter I mentioned St. Lucia day which was December 13th. One of the ladies in our local Swedish culture club makes the Lucia Buns for her college students. I asked if I could have her recipe. Joy said that the recipe she is sharing is from a Swedish immigrant woman that she met at the American Swedish Institute in the Twin Cities when she was a guide there during graduate school.

Lucia Buns, Lussekatter

• 1 pkg active dry yeast
• 1/4 c. water, warm
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. sugar*
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp powdered saffron (or crush saffron threads in a mortar and pestle)
• 4 c. flour

For brushing 1 egg, 2 T. water

*Healthy Option: unrefined sugar (Sucanat or Rapadura)

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. Warm milk, add butter to melt. Place all above ingredients in a mixing bowl using 2 c. of the flour. Mix for 3 minutes using mixer. Add rest of flour and beat with wooden spoon. Work dough on board, adding a little flour for easy handling. When smooth and shiny put in a bowl and let rise to double in bulk. Turn out on floured board and shape into Lussekatter. (The traditional shape is an "S." Let rise on cookie sheet and brush with egg and water mixture before baking. Put a raisin in each curl and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen rolls.
Note: Joy said hers tend to burn at 450 degrees, so she bakes them at 375 degrees.