Lussekatter: Swedish Saffron Buns for St Lucia's Day

What are Lussekatter?

Lussekatter are Swedish saffron buns made from soft yeast dough. They are particularly closely associated with Lucia Day on December 13. Their warm yellow color comes from saffron, and the most well-known shape resembles a curved S. A raisin is usually placed in each of the two curled ends.

In German, the name is occasionally translated as Luciakatzen. However, what matters for the pastry is not the translation or completely identical shapes, but an aromatic, moist dough and a short baking time. Lussekatter are meant to remain soft and should not come out of the oven like crispy bread rolls.

Tradition and an easy-to-follow recipe

Swedish family recipes vary in their amount of sugar, fat, cardamom, and the use of quark or cream cheese. This recipe focuses on a highly reproducible milk-and-butter version. Cardamom remains optional so that the saffron can be clearly tasted.

Because yeast dough reacts to room temperature, the type of flour, and the amount of kneading, visible characteristics are more important than rigid time limits. A well-developed dough is smooth and stretchy. After proofing, it will have significantly increased in volume and will slowly spring back when gently pressed with a finger.

Properly preparing saffron for saffron buns

For twelve Lussekatter, we use 0.20 grams of saffron threads. This amount colors the dough golden yellow and gives it a clear but not overpowering aroma. Weigh the saffron with a precision scale; an indication by threads would be unreliable due to different lengths and thicknesses.

Lightly crush the threads and stir them into 50 milliliters of lukewarm milk. After 15 minutes, the saffron milk is fully incorporated into the dough. Steeping beforehand distributes the color and flavor more evenly than if dry threads land directly in the flour.

The right temperature

The milk should be warm, but by no means hot. Too high temperatures impair the yeast and burden the delicate aroma. The melted butter is also brought to a lukewarm temperature with the remaining milk before the yeast is dissolved in it.

You can find a detailed method under Soaking saffron correctly. For other quantities and dishes, the guide Dosing saffron helps. The dry threads are not placed on the finished baked goods as decoration here.

Kneading yeast dough: soft, smooth, and elastic

Add flour, sugar, egg, salt, and optionally cardamom to a bowl with the lukewarm milk mixture and saffron milk. Knead the dough with the machine for eight to ten minutes on low to medium speed. By hand, it usually takes a little longer. The dough may seem sticky at first and will become smoother as you knead it longer.

Do not add extra flour right away. A soft dough consistency is desired for moist Lussekatter. Only when the dough still flows after the full kneading time and shows no tension should you work in a little more flour, tablespoon at a time.

Windowpane test for dough development

Carefully stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers. If it can be stretched into a thin, almost translucent layer without tearing immediately, the gluten structure is well developed. If it tears coarsely, two more minutes of kneading and a short break will help.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly buttered bowl. Covered, the surface will not dry out. An oven that is switched off with the light switched on can be a quiet place; however, it must not become uncontrollably warm.

Properly assess the timing

The first rise often takes 60 to 90 minutes. In a cool kitchen, it may take longer; in a warmer environment, it may be shorter. Aim for the dough to have visibly risen and look noticeably airier. It is not always easy to judge whether the dough has exactly doubled in size in every container.

If you gently press a lightly floured finger into the dough, the indentation should slowly spring back partially. If it springs back immediately, the dough needs more time. If it remains completely indented and the dough collapses, it has already risen too much.

Why there is a second rise

When the dough is divided and rolled, some of the trapped air escapes. The shaped Lussekatter therefore need another 30 to 45 minutes to rise. They will look visibly fuller and feel lighter. If they are baked too early, the crumb may remain compact or the rolled ends may split.

Cover the baking sheets loosely with a clean cloth or a proofing bag. The material must not stick to the dough. During the second rise, you can fully preheat the oven so that the buns bake evenly as soon as they are put in.

Shape the Lussekatter into the classic S-shape

Gently knead the dough and divide it into twelve pieces as equal as possible. This ensures that all the buns cook in about the same amount of time. First, roll each piece into a short log, let it rest for two minutes, and then stretch it out to about 30 to 35 centimeters.

Roll one end inward from the left and the other end inward from the right. This creates the opposing S-shape. Do not press the spirals flat; they need room to expand during the second rise. If the dough is stubborn and pulls back, let the strands rest for five minutes.

Placing the raisins correctly

After the second rise, place one raisin in the center of each spiral. Press it firmly into the dough so that it does not fall out when the dough rises and bakes. Very dry raisins can be soaked in water for ten minutes and then thoroughly dried.

Perfect uniformity is not necessary. Hand-shaped Lussekatter may show slight differences. It is more important that the strands are approximately the same thickness: Very thin ends will dry out, while a thick center will take longer to bake through.

Baking without drying out the saffron buns

Whisk together an egg yolk and a tablespoon of milk and brush a thin layer over the risen buns. Too much egg wash will collect around the edges and may darken there. Bake each tray at 190°C (375°F) with top and bottom heat for about ten to twelve minutes. When baking two trays one after the other, the result is usually more even than when baking them at the same time with fan-assisted heat.

The Lussekatter are ready when the surface is light golden brown and the underside has taken on a light colour. Do not wait for a dark brown crust. The small pastries continue to bake briefly after being removed from the oven and lose moisture with each additional minute.

Cooling and serving

Let the buns cool on the tray for five minutes first, and then on a wire rack. Keeping them covered with a clean tea towel will keep the surface soft. They taste particularly good when lukewarm – plain, with a little butter, or with coffee or tea.

If your oven heats strongly from below, slide an empty tray onto the bottom rack. If the buns are very pale, increase the baking time in one-minute increments only. The core temperature can serve as an additional check, but for pastries this small, checking the colour and pressing them is usually sufficient.

Store, freeze and make juicy again

Yeasted pastries taste freshest on the day they are baked. Store completely cooled Lussekatter in an airtight container at room temperature and consume them as soon as possible, preferably by the next day. In the refrigerator, they will harden and dry out more quickly.

To freeze, place the cooled buns either individually or separated by parchment paper in a freezer container. Only thaw the amount you need at room temperature and then warm them for a few minutes in a low-temperature oven. This will make them soft again.

Prepare the evening before

After kneading, you can leave the dough covered in the refrigerator overnight. Use a sufficiently large bowl for this. The next day, let it come to room temperature briefly, shape the Lussekatter, and allow them their full second rise.

Alternatively, you can refrigerate the shaped buns before they have fully risen. This method is more sensitive to refrigerator temperature and the amount of yeast. For your first attempt, the cold bulk fermentation of the entire dough is easier to control.

Vary Lussekatter

• With cardamom: Add half a teaspoon of ground cardamom to the flour.
• Without cardamom: Omit it if you want the saffron to be the sole star.
• With dry yeast: Use seven grams instead of 20 grams of fresh yeast and incorporate it according to the package directions.
• Smaller pieces: Shape 16 rolls and check the baking time from eight minutes onward.
• Other shapes: Double spirals or wreaths work as long as the dough thickness remains even.
• Preparation: Let the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator, covered, and shape it the next day.

When baking for the first time, change only one variable if possible. This will help you see how proofing time, shape, or spices affect your dough.