Best Semlor Semla Recipes

SWEDISH SEMLOR (SHROVE TUESDAY BUNS)

Steps:

• Make the tangzhong: Combine water, milk and flour in a medium saucepan. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the dough: While the tangzhong is cooling, begin preparing the rest of the ingredients for the dough. Combine yeast, cardamom, salt, sugar and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk briefly by hand to combine.
• Attach the dough hook to the mixer. Add melted and cooled butter, slightly warm milk, egg and the cooled tangzhong (it can be slightly warm to the touch) to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium low until fully combined.
• Increase mixer speed to medium and knead mixture for 3-4 minutes or until dough is slightly tacky but not sticky and clears the side of the bowl. It's okay if it's sticking to the bottom of the bowl slightly. You can also mix and knead the dough by hand but it will take longer, more like 8-10 minutes.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for an hour or until 1 ½ or 2 times its original size. The time will largely depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
• Once dough has risen, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, gather up the edges of the dough into a rough ball shape, pinching the dough where the edges come together to create a "bellybutton". Place the ball, bellybutton side down, on a clean kitchen counter. Cupping the ball with your hand so that your palm is lightly resting on the dough and your fingertips are resting on the counter, make small circles with the dough until a tight ball is formed. Place the ball on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
• Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water to create an egg wash. Uncover the buns and brush each bun with the egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-16 minutes or until buns are golden brown. Cover the buns with a clean dish towel and let cool to room temperature (this will keep the buns from forming a hard crust).
• When you are ready to serve, make the filling. Combine almonds, sugar, salt and almond extract in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until almonds are finely ground. Remove the almond mixture from the work bowl and transfer to a medium bowl. Start by mixing ½ cup of milk into the ground almond mixture. Continue adding milk if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your filling has a creamy consistency.
• Prepare the whipped cream. Place the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk the cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and continue whisking until the whipped cream is fluffy and and can hold medium to stiff peaks.
• Use a small, sharp knife to cut a triangular "hat" out of the top of the bun and set it aside to use later. Remove some of the inside of the bun using the knife and your fingers creating a nice cavity for the almond filling. Slice off the bottom of the hat so that it is only ¼-½ an inch thick.
• Fill the bun with a spoonful or two of the almond filling. Dollop or pipe whipped cream on top. Artfully arrange the hat on top of the cream. Repeat with remaining buns. Dust tops with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

SUNSHINE SEMLOR

Steps:

• Mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Combine warm milk and melted butter in a bowl. Add yeast and stir until completely dissolved. Mix in eggs and cardamom. Stir in flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour.
• Punch dough down gently and divide into 20 pieces; shape into balls. Arrange balls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let rise for about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake until golden brown, about 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 20 minutes.
• Cut 1/2 inch off the top of each bun to make a 'lid.' Scoop out the core of the bun gently with a fork. Repeat with remaining buns, setting tops aside and placing cores in a large bowl.
• Pour some milk over the cores to moisten. Mix in almond paste until smooth. Continue adding small amounts of milk until filling resembles a thick pudding. Spoon almond paste filling into the center of the buns.
• Combine heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
• Top buns generously with whipped cream and place 'lids' on top. Use a sifter to dust tops with confectioners' sugar.

SEMLOR (SEMLA)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs with butter and milk. Sprinkle yeast overtop and allow to soften for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift together 5 cups flour with 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and ground cardamom. Once yeast has softened, stir flour mixture into milk mixture until a soft dough forms. Cover bowl with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
• Sift together flour and baking powder. Stir into risen dough, then knead until smooth. Form into 16 balls (or 24 if you'd like smaller semlor) and place onto greased baking sheets. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and the center has firmed. Cool buns on a wire rack to room temperature.
• Once cool, cut a slice about 1/2 inch thick off of the top of the bun and set aside. Scoop or cut out the center of the buns, leaving a shell about 1/2 inch thick. Tear the removed bread into small pieces and place into a bowl. Moisten the bread with milk, then mix in marzipan until smooth. Add additional milk if needed until the marzipan filling is nearly as soft as pudding.
• Whip cream with 2 tablespoons sugar to stiff peaks. Fill each shell with a spoonful of marzipan filling. Pipe whipped cream on top of the filling to 1/2 inch over the top of the bun. Replace the tops onto the buns, and dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

SWEDISH SEMLOR

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, pour in the milk och warm until lukewarm (99 F).
• Crumble the yeast in a bowl and stir in a little of the warm butter/milk until the yeast is completely dissolved.
• Add the rest of the butter/milk, salt, sugar, cardamom and most of the flour (save some for the rest of the baking). Work the dough smooth and shiny. It should let go from the edges of the bowl. Allow the dough to rise under a baking cloth for 40 minutes.
• Sprinkle flour over a baking board and place the dough there. Make 1 bun per person by rolling the dough against the baking board in your cupped hand.
• Put the buns on a baking tray with oven paper and allow them to rise for an additional 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 440°F.
• Brush the buns with the beaten egg and bake them for about 10 minutes in the middle of the oven. Let them cool on an oven rack under a baking cloth.
• Cut of a cover on each bun. Take out a part of the crumb and put it in a bowl. Crumble in almond paste, mix and dilute with the milk to a rather soft mixture.
• Distribute the filling in the buns. Whip the cream and put a large dollop in every bun.
• Put the cover on and sift some confectioners' sugar over 'semlorna'.