Semla Recipe: The Ultimate Guide to Swedish Cream Buns

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups warm milk (70 to 80 degrees F)
• 0.67 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs eggs
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.5 cup milk, or as needed
• 5 ounces marzipan
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. To prepare the buns, whisk together milk, melted butter, and eggs in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the mixture and let it stand for about 5 minutes until it softens and becomes foamy. Meanwhile, in a separate large bowl, sift together 5 cups of flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt.
2. Once the yeast has softened, stir the flour mixture into the milk mixture until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place for approximately 30 minutes. Lightly grease your baking sheets and set them aside.
3. Sift together 1 cup of flour and baking powder. Stir this mixture into the risen dough, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 16 equal balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Cover with a damp cloth, and allow them to rise until they have doubled in size, about 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Bake the buns in the preheated oven until they are golden brown and the center is firm, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the baked buns to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
6. To prepare the fillings, once the buns are cool, carefully cut a slice, about 1/2-inch thick, off the top of each bun and set aside. Scoop out or cut out the center of each bun, leaving a shell approximately 1/2-inch thick. Tear the removed bread into small pieces and place them into a bowl. Moisten the bread with milk, then mix in the marzipan until it is smooth. Add more milk if needed until the marzipan filling reaches a pudding-like consistency; set it aside.
7. In a chilled glass or metal bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until it becomes frothy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until soft peaks form.
8. Fill each bun shell generously with a spoonful of the marzipan filling. Pipe whipped cream on top of the filling, making sure it extends about 1/2 inch over the top of each bun. Replace the tops onto the filled buns and dust generously with confectioner's sugar just before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 442 kcal
• Fat Content: 22 g
• Fiber Content: 2 g
• Sugar Content: 16 g
• Sodium Content: 284 mg
• Protein Content: 8 g
• Cholesterol Content: 87 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 54 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 12 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g