Shrove Tuesday Buns Semlor Recipes

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Beat egg slightly and mix HALF of it with the cream and add to yeast.
• Add sugar, salt, cinnamon, butter and a little of the flour.
• Add more flour, a little at a time, beating with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough.
• You can use a mixer instead of a spoon, but just don't over do it!
• Turn dough onto floured board and knead until smoooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Make this when you are frustrated, and the time will FLY by! It's good therapy!
• Place dough in a lightly buttered bowl, and turn once to grease surface.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. (About 1 1/2 hours.).
• Now go rest and give your arms a break!
• When light and doubled, punch down, turn out onto your floured board again and knead lightly til smooth.
• Divide dough into 10 equal pieces and shape each piece into round buns.
• Place buns onto greased cookie sheet.
• Let rise in warm place until almost doubled in size.
• Brush each with remaining egg.
• Bake in 400 degree oven til golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
• Cool on rack.
• Cut off top slice from bun with a sharp knife.
• Insert a slice of almond paste into bun, garnish with a generous spoon of whipped cream, replace top, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• *Traditionally served in deep individual dishes with hot milk and cinnamon, but I like them as is.
• *In case you are not able to buy almond paste, here is how to make it:.
• Almond paste:.
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds.
• 1/2 teaspoons almond extract.
• 1 cup pre-sifted powdered sugar.
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten.
• Grind almonds in food processor til extremely fine!
• Place into a bowl and sprinkle with almond extract and powdered sugar.
• Toss with a fork and gradually add egg white.
• Work paste until smooth.

Steps:

• If you are using the compressed yeast, warm the milk on the stove to lukewarm, dissolve the yeast in the milk; dry yeast can simply be mixed into the flour.
• Add egg, sugar, salt and cardamom to the milk, mixing continuously, then gradually add flour.
• Add soft margarine at the final phase of kneading.
• Knead the dough by hand or machine until it is smooth and does not stick to your hands or the bowl.
• Leave to rise in a warm place under a cloth, until it is double it´s size.
• Shape small buns from the dough, place them on greaseproof paper on a baking sheet, and leave them to rise again under the cloth.
• Prepare oven to 225 °C, brush the buns with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Whip the whipped cream with sugar.
• Cut off the top of the buns, pile whipped cream mixed with vanilla sugar on the lower halves, and put back the lids.