Should you’re trying to dive into baking extra Swedish pastries (which, because the individual behind a collection referred to as What’s For Fika, I extremely suggest you do), a semla is a superb place to start out. And for those who’re something like me and spend all day meals pics on Instagram, one or two (or extra) pictures of a semla could have proven up in your FYP.

A semla is historically loved round Shrove Tuesday (Fettisdagen, or what Swedes would name Mardi Gras) and all through late winter. It’s a tender, cardamom-spiced wheat bun, hollowed out and crammed with candy almond paste, then topped with whipped cream. The highest of the bun is minimize off as a “lid” and positioned again after filling, after which the entire bun will get dusted with powdered sugar.

Whereas many Swedes take pleasure in semla buns merely with espresso for fika, some nonetheless eat them the old style approach (and I imply really old style)—served in a bowl of heat milk (the hetvägg model). Funnily sufficient, that is how I keep in mind my mother serving them to us after we had been little. It’s not quite common anymore, and plenty of Swedes have by no means eaten them this fashion, however then once more, she loves custom—and I really like her for it.

Should you’ve by no means had one, I extremely suggest you begin off by making conventional semla buns for the true authentic expertise. However, if you need a enjoyable selection, right here’s a recipe I simply developed for a semla braid (actually it appears extra like a footlong sandwich) crammed with pistachio paste as a substitute of almond, orange blossom whipped cream, and blood and tangelo oranges. Whereas I want I got here up with the flavour mixture by myself, I took inspiration from a bakery in Sweden, referred to as Haga Bageri.

Have you ever ever had a semla earlier than? Let me know within the feedback!