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Sweden · Breads & Doughs

Lussekatter

Saffron buns (St. Lucia)
Yield
About 16 buns
Active
45 minutes
Total
3 hours
Difficulty
Medium
Free recipe
Lussekatter, S-shaped Swedish saffron buns with raisins

The story

On the thirteenth of December, the date that fell on the longest night of the year under the old Julian calendar, the eldest daughter in the family rises before dawn, puts on a white gown with a red sash and a wreath of candles on her head, and brings her parents coffee and freshly baked lussekatter — golden saffron buns curled into the shape of the letter S. The name has a curious history: the buns were once called djävulskatter (“devil's cats”), because bright yellow saffron was believed to ward off the devil, and in time the name was softened to lussekatter, “Lucia cats.” Saffron arrived by the same trade routes as the tradition of Saint Lucia herself, an early-4th-century martyr whose feast was once celebrated at the very moment when the night was longest, as light against the darkness. Today Lucia processions are organized by schools, companies, and entire towns. For the diaspora, a morning of golden buns and candles is one of the loveliest and most photographed moments of the Swedish Christmas tradition, and one that is easily passed on to children, even without the rest of the holiday.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 egg, plus 1 more for egg wash
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Raisins, for decorating

Method

  1. Crush the saffron threads with a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon, and let steep in the warm milk for at least 10 minutes to release the color and aroma.
  2. Dissolve the yeast into the saffron milk with a pinch of the sugar; let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
  3. Combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the saffron-yeast milk, melted butter, and egg, and knead into a smooth, elastic dough, about 8 minutes.
  4. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
  5. Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Roll each into a rope about 12 inches long, then curl both ends into tight spirals in opposite directions to form the characteristic S-shape.
  6. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, press a raisin into the center of each spiral curl, cover, and let rise 30–40 minutes.
  7. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the buns with beaten egg and bake 10–12 minutes, until golden. Cool on a rack.

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