Despite the name, these buns are actually Swedish and are typically served as a Christmas-time snack. They’re flavoured with saffron and cardamom and include quark cheese.
Prep time 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Makes: 12 (+2 hours proving)
Ingredients:
250ml (1 cup) milk
1 tsp saffron threads
50g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
1 x 7g sachet instant yeast
50g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
100g (3½oz) quark cheese
vegetable oil, for greasing (optional)
1 egg yolk, for glazing
24 raisins
Method:
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over a low heat until gently steaming. Take the pan from the heat, add the saffron threads and butter and set aside for 10 minutes, or until the saffron has infused the milk and the milk has cooled slightly.
Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the sugar.
Strain the saffron-infused milk over the bowl of flour, then add the quark. Stir the mixture using your fingers until it comes together as a soft dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, leaving them clean.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes, or until the dough is no longer sticky and has a smooth, silky exterior. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with cling film and set aside in a warm place for 1½-2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in volume.
Brush two baking trays with vegetable oil, or dust with flour.
When the dough has proved, knock it back, then divide into 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll the pieces of dough into 30cm- (12in) long sausage shapes.
Bend four of the pieces of dough into S-shapes, coiling each end of the S-shape tightly like a scroll. Place onto one of the prepared baking trays.
Shape another four pieces of dough into S-shapes, but this time just tuck the ends of the S-shapes back on themselves rather than coiling them tightly. Place two of the S-shapes on one of the prepared baking trays, and place the other two on top of them to create cross shapes.
The remaining pieces of dough can be shaped into traditional animal shapes including oxen, cats and birds – alternatively, bend them into S-shapes as before.
Cover the dough shapes loosely with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside to prove again for 30-45 minutes, or until they have doubled in size.
Pre-heat your oven to 200C (180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6).
Brush the dough shapes all over with a little of the beaten egg yolk, then garnish each shape with two raisins (for the S-shaped buns, place the raisins in the centre of each coil of dough).
Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven then bake the buns for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown and cooked through. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
