Swedish Saffron Buns (Easy recipe for the non-baker!) - Liz Mannegren (2024)

FAQs

What do you eat with saffron buns? ›

A saffron bun is a fairly low maintenance snack which can be enjoyed alongside a cup of tea or coffee. It can be eaten fresh or toasted and you can add butter or some traditional Cornish Clotted Cream.

A saffron bun, Cornish tea treat bun or revel bun, is a rich, spiced yeast-leavened sweet bun that is flavoured with saffron and contains dried fruit including currants and raisins similar to a teacake. The main ingredients are plain flour, butter, yeast, caster sugar, currants and sultanas.

As the procession carries forward, the children hand out saffron buns to symbolize the light of Christianity throughout the darkness of the world. These saffron buns are a Swedish custom that have become a permanent baked-good tradition during the holiday season and lead up to Christmas.

The history of saffron buns in Sweden

Jan-Öjvind Swahn mentions that this German model, “Christ-kindelein”, was accompanied by a devil figure. This apparently gave the bread its older name, “döfvelskatter”, meaning “devil cats”, an expression seen in Swedish for the first time in the late 19th century.

Foods that go well with saffron include carrots, fennel bulbs, onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, ginger, turmeric, potatoes, parsnips, asparagus, artichokes, oranges, lemons, beans, eggplant, nuts, chicken, fish, shellfish, rice, pasta, cream, butter, and cheeses.

It's actually hard to find a meat that has absolutely no affinity with saffron. Roast chicken with saffron basted skin is amazing, add some lemon and a few other choice spices and you're off to a great finish. Pork can sometimes be a picky meat for spices to pair with, but slow cooked saffron pork is delectable.

This sweet, saffron-flavoured bun, known as 'lussekatt' (directly translated as 'Lucia cat'), is typically shaped into the letter 'S' to look like a curled-up cat, with raisins for decoration to resemble the cat's eyes.

Yes, it is safe to eat dried saffron threads in moderate amounts. Saffron is a spice commonly used in cooking and baking to add flavor and color. It is considered safe when used in small amounts, but excessive consumption can lead to side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and dry mouth.

They can be eaten on their own, or more often, split in half and smothered with butter on one side. They contain dried fruit like currants, raisins, mixed peel and sultanas, similar to tea cakes, and echo similar buns created across Scandinavia such as the lussekatt which is traditionally eaten during Advent.

Some common side effects include drowsiness, stomach problems, and nausea or vomiting. Allergic reactions are also possible. Taking large amounts of saffron by mouth is possibly unsafe. High doses of 5 grams or more can cause poisoning.

Is it safe to eat saffron everyday? ›

In general, the consumption of saffron carries little risk. Cooking with saffron is a great way to add it to the diet without the risk of consuming too much of this spice. Taking up to 1.5 grams of saffron each day is generally safe, but eating too much can be toxic. Researchers consider 5 g to be a toxic dose.

Takeaway Advice. Saffron threads should not be consumed in excess. 2-3 strands consumed per day are enough for you.

The semla – a small, wheat flour bun, flavoured with cardamom and filled with almond paste and whipped cream – has become something of a carb-packed icon in Sweden.

Buying saffron in Sweden

If you are visiting Sweden it is worth bringing some saffran (saffron) back with you, as it is much cheaper there because the turnover is much greater. Saffron is normally sold ready ground in Sweden.

Cinnamon has been used as a flavouring in cooking for a long time. History books tell us that Gustav Vasa was a big fan and ambassador of cinnamon and he made sure that the Swedes had access to this delicious spice.

They can be eaten on their own, or more often, split in half and smothered with butter on one side. They contain dried fruit like currants, raisins, mixed peel and sultanas, similar to tea cakes, and echo similar buns created across Scandinavia such as the lussekatt which is traditionally eaten during Advent.

Namely, hot cross buns. Doughy, sultana-scattered and smothered in butter, we love 'em and there's no better time to scoff them than Easter. Traditionally, hot cross buns are reserved for Good Friday to mark the end of Lent, but 20 million are sold during Easter week in the UK.