Hej! Hello – as they say in Sweden! Today I’ll be outlining how I make vegan semla. I hope you’re in the mood for a sweet, cardamom-scented, cream-filled roll. Semla is traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday in Sweden.
Rather than cooking up pancakes, we thought why not journey to Sweden! Shrove Tuesday is usually seen as an opportunity to use up “comfort” foods (think eggs, butter and milk) before Lent, hence pancakes. Many countries have put their own spin on this treat to ensure these ingredients do not go to waste over the next 40 days of fasting.
Let’s outline the different names for Semla across Scandinavia:
- Fastelavnsbolle (Norway and Denmark) – topped with melted chocolate instead of icing sugar
- Vastlakukkel (Estonia)
- Bolla (Iceland)
- Laskiaispulla (Finland) – usually filled with strawberry or raspberry jam instead of marzipan
Traditional Semla includes marzipan in the filling. However, I’ve made this allergen-free by omitting marzipan . I’ve also used gluten-free flour too. Feel free to put your own twist on this Swedish delight (naming it however you like too!) This recipe makes enough for 20 semla, or should I say 20 semlor?
How might I serve Semlor?
In Sweden, Semla can be accompanied with coffee or tea. For an extra layer of creamy comfort, you can also enjoy it in a bowl of warm milk. If you’re looking for more variation, feel free to include something like raisins or candied orange peel in the dough.
I’ve served my semla with raspberries, blueberries, banana slices and icing sugar. I quite like how these colours pay tribute to its Nordic origins. Why not incorporate the colours that feature in the flags of these countries too!
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Semla – Swedish Shrove Tuesday Buns
Equipment
- Weighing Scales
- Baking Paper
- Baking Tray
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Sieve
- Measuring Jug
- Rolling Pan
- Cookie Cutter or Drinking Glass
- Cooking Pot
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 500 g Plain, Gluten-Free Flour Have a little extra for work surfaces and kneading
- 250 ml Plant-Based Milk
- 100 g Vegan Margarine Melted
- 60 g White Sugar
- 2 tsp Dried Instant Yeast
- 2 tsp Ground Cardamon
To Serve
- Vegan Whipped Cream
- Raspberries Fresh
- Blueberries Fresh
- Icing Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan.
- Line a tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt the margarine/butter alternative in a pan and set aside.
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the cardamom, sugar and yeast. Carefully pour in the melted butter with the milk and combine the ingredients with a wooden spoon.
- Once the dough has come together, knead into a ball and place at the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with cling-film and prove for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- After the dough has proved, sprinkle flour on your work surface and rolling pin so the dough doesn’t stick. Tip the dough out of the bowl onto your floured work surface.
- Gently roll the dough into a rectangular shape until it is 2cm thick.
- Use an upside-down glass or a cookie cutter to cut out circular shapes. These will rise during the baking process and form the semla. Transfer the shapes onto your baking tray.
- Once you’ve cut out as many shapes as possible, knead the mixture into a ball again, repeating the process of rolling out the dough and cutting out circles until you’ve used up all the dough.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the semlor have risen and are golden brown.
- Set aside the semlor buns to cool.
- Once cool, you should be able to gently split open the semlor buns with a knife.
- Shake the whipped cream and slowly pipe in a circular motion onto the bottom half of the semla. Top with the remaining half of the semla, similar to a scone.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve with raspberries, blueberries, or fruit of your choice, enjoy!
