Saint Lucia buns - Lussekatter - Saffron buns

Ingredients

• 300 ml milk
• 1 g saffron
• 50 g baker's yeast
• 150 g sugar
• 125 g butter or margarine
• 700 g all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• salt
• raisins

Directions

1. 1

   Melt butter or margarine in a pan and add the milk and the saffron.

2. 2

   Warm the mixture to 37 oC (100 oF).

3. 3

   Use a thermometer; the correct temperature is important!

4. 4

   Pour the mixture over the finely divided yeast; then add the remaining ingredients (except for the egg and the raisins), which should have a temperature of 21-23 oC (72-75 oF).

5. 5

   Mix into a smooth dough.

6. 6

   Cover the dough with a piece of cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Knead the dough, divide it into 25-30 pieces and form each piece into a round bun.

8. 8

   Let the buns rest for a few minutes, covered by a piece of cloth.

9. 9

   Form each bun into a string, 15-20 cm long, then arrange the string in a suitable shape, e.g. an S or double S. Regardless of the shape, the ends of the string should meet.

10. 10

    Press a few raisins into the dough.

11. 11

    Cover the"Lucia cats" with a piece of cloth and let them rise for 40 minutes.

12. 12

    Whip the egg together with a few grains of salt, and paint the"Lucia cats" with the mixture.

13. 13

    Bake them for 5-10 minutes in the oven at 250 oC (475 oF) until golden brownish yellow.