Lussekatter
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: Monday, December 14, 2009 - 1:38pm

Ingredients




2 ounces packages active dry yeast (¼  each)
2 cups milk, heated to 115 degrees F
2 teaspoons saffron, crushed
3/4 cup plus 1 tsp sugar
6 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs
12 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, softened
Canola oil, for greasing
64 raisins, for garnish

Preparation

1 In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the yeast, milk, saffron, and 1 tsp sugar. Let sit until foamy (about 10 minutes) 2 Stir in the remaining sugar, along with the flour, salt and 2 eggs. 3 Mix on low speed until the dough forms and gathers around the paddle. Replace the paddle with the dough hook and add butter. 4 Kneed on medium-high until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. 5 Transfer dough to a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 1 hour). 6 Divide the dough into 32 pieces and roll each piece into an 8-inch long rope. 7 Form each roll into and S shape, then roll each end into a tight spiral (it will look like a curlicue S) 8 Place shaped dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes 9 Heat oven to 400 degrees F. 10 Uncover the dough and place a raisin at the center of each of the spirals 11 Lightly beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush each bun with the egg mixture 12 Bake until buns are golden brown and cooked through (about 16 minutes) 13 Transfer buns to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving

About


Lussekatter are a traditional Swedish treat. For best results, steep the saffron in hot milk before incorporating into the dough. 
This recipe was adapted from one found in Saveur magazine, Dec. 2009