Swedish saffron buns (Lussekatter)

Method

Soft, saffron-yellow dough beneath a fine golden crust, shaped into familiar S spirals. Raisins sit in the curled ends; butter rounds the aroma of warm saffron.

1. 1

   Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the milk and warm until just lukewarm; do not let it boil. Crumble the yeast into a large bowl and whisk in the warm milk mixture until dissolved.

2. 2

   Crush the saffron with the sugar, then stir it into the bowl. Add the quark, salt and nearly all the flour. Knead until the dough is supple and elastic, adding the remaining flour only as needed. Cover and prove for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

3. 3

   Heat the oven to 225°C. Divide the dough into 8 portions. Roll each into a rope, then coil both ends in opposite directions to form an S. Set the buns on a parchment-lined tray and press one raisin into the centre of each coil. Cover and prove for 20–30 minutes.

4. 4

   Beat the egg and brush it over the buns. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the tops are golden.