For the love of semla

A Swedish-U.S. baker turned traditional semlor into a Valentine's Day treat. (Any reason is a good reason for a semla!) 

  • A traditional semla by our favorite U.S based Swedish baker Anna Bringle of Swedish Dreamish in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of Anna Bringle
  • Anna Bringle was born and raised in the small Swedish town of Ulricehamn, about an hour east of Gothenburg. There she had time on her hands to develop her hobbies of baking, fitness and personal health. She won over so many of her friends and family with her sweet baked goods, that she started a business, even bringing it to the United States with her.
    Anna came to the U.S. with her husband, who had an opportunity to run the U.S. operations of a Boras-based Swedish company ... and what was to be a 2-year stint in Atlanta, GA, is still continuing over 10 years later. In that time Anna passed the American exams to become an emergency room nurse. The stressful demands of that is what keeps her coming back to her true love, baking.
    And semlor. A semla is a traditional sweet roll made in various forms in Scandinavia. It's filled with a mix of milk and almond paste, whipped cream, and a lid on top of the bun that's dusted with powdered sugar. The tradition for having semlor is rooted in Fettisdag (Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday). Most years, Fettisdagen is a February holiday falling close to Valentine's Day, making it the perfect treat for sharing with a sweetheart. In the beginning semlor were eaten only on Fettisdagen, then every Tuesday between Shrove Tuesday and Easter. Now it's nothing unusual people start already in January. More on the Swedish delicacy: Time for a Semla

  • Happy Valentine's Day - and Fettisdagen! Photo by Anna Bringle
  • Swedish Dreamish Semla
    16 regular size or 28-30 small size

  • A twist on traditional semlor turns them into a Valentine's Day specialty. Photo by Anna Bringle
  • Ingredients
    1 package dried yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
    5-3/4 to 6-1/4 cups flour (14-15 dl)
    1/2 tsp salt
    1 tsp cardamom
    2 tsp baking powder
    2/3 cup butter (150 g), softened
    2 cups + 4 tsp milk (5 dl)
    1/2 cup Swedish White syrup (1 dl) or regular sugar
    2 eggs

  • Blend dried yeast with sifted flour (save approximately 1 cup for later when kneading the dough), salt, cardamom and Swedish syrup (sugar).
    Melt butter in a pan, add milk and warm it to 104˚F (40˚C), use a thermometer to get exactly right temperature.
    Add the dry ingredients to the warm liquid.
    Add egg.

  • Blend well, either by hand or by using a food processor to a shiny and smooth dough, approximately 5 minutes.

  • Let the dough rise under towel for about approximately 30 min.
    Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C).

  • Sift together flour and baking powder. Put the dough on the table and knead it well with your hands. Add a little bit of the additional flour and baking powder at the time and knead to a soft, non sticky. Important to not add too much then the buns easily end up dry.

  • Form into 16 balls (or 28-30 if you like smaller semlor) and place onto greased baking sheets.
    Cover with a kitchen towel and rise for 30 minutes.
    Bake in oven about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
    Important to not over bake, it also easily makes the buns dry.
    Cool on rack under towel.

  • Filling
    3/4 cup milk (2 dl)
    12 oz marzipan (400 g)

  • Marzipan
    2 cups almond flour - either blanch and grind the almonds yourself or buy almond meal (4.8 dl)
    2 cups powdered sugar (4.8 dl)
    2 tsp water
    1 egg white

  • Place the almond (flour) and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up.
    Add the water and pulse to combine.
    Add the egg white and process until a thick dough is formed.
    Turn the almond marzipan out onto a work surface and knead it a few times.

  • When the buns have cooled down, cut a lid about 1/2 inch thick off the top of the bun and set aside. (Optional: After the lids are cut off each baked bun, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to shape the lids.)
    Scoop out the inside of the bun, leaving a shell about 1/2 inch thick.
    Place the removed crumbs into a bowl.
    Moisten the crumbs with milk, then mix in marzipan until smooth.
    Add additional milk if needed until the marzipan filling is nearly as soft as pudding.

  • 2 cups and 4 tsp whipped cream (5 dl)
    2 tsp Swedish vanilla sugar
    Powdered sugar
    Whip cream with vanilla sugar to stiff peaks.
    Fill each shell with a spoonful of marzipan filling.
    Pipe whipped cream on top of the filling to 1/2 inch over the top of the bun.
    Replace the tops onto the buns, and dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

  • Find more about Swedish Dreamish at facebook.com/swedishdreamish
    instagram.com/swedishdreamish as well as pinterest and Tumblr.