St Lucia Saffron Buns Recipes

Steps:

• Put the milk in a small pan and gently heat until it's steaming. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the saffron into a powder. Add this to the pan of milk along with the butter. Swirl to melt the butter, then set aside until lukewarm.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, caster sugar, 1 tsp salt and the yeast together, and make a well in the middle of the bowl. Pour in the milk mixture along with the egg. Mix together to form a sticky dough, then turn out onto the work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (this will take about 10 mins). Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Set the bowl in a warm part of the house and allow to rise for about 1 hr until doubled in size.
• Knock back the dough and divide into 12 equal portions. Cover the pieces with the oiled cling film while you make the rolls - this will stop the dough from drying out. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll out into a 30cm-long strand. Roll up one end into the middle, turn over and roll the other end into the middle, forming the dough into an S-shape. Place the buns on a large (or 2 smaller) parchment-lined baking tray. Once all the buns are made, lightly cover with oiled cling film and prove until almost doubled in size (if making ahead, keep the dough in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning). While the buns prove, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When ready to bake, brush the buns with beaten egg and press a currant into the centre of each spiral. Put the trays in the oven and bake for around 15 mins. Allow to cool before serving. These are best eaten on the day they are made but will keep for a couple of days.

Steps:

• Place the butter and milk in a medium bowl. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron with a pinch of the sugar, and stir into the mixture. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in a little of the lukewarm butter mixture, then add the remaining butter mixture, the remaining sugar and the salt.
• Gradually add enough of the flour (almost all of it) to make a workable dough, kneading for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook. Shape into a ball, sprinkle with a little flour and cover with a cloth. Allow to rise in a warm spot for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, and knead in additional flour if the dough is sticky. Shape as desired into buns, braids or lengths. Place on lined baking sheets, and allow to rise again for 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400.
• Brush the buns with beaten egg, and press raisins lightly into the dough. Bake until golden and risen, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a bun comes out dry. Smaller buns may take 8 to 10 minutes; larger lengths and braids, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the buns on a rack under a cloth.

Steps:

• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add sugar, butter, salt, and saffron, stirring until butter is melted. Let cool to lukewarm temperature, about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl, stirring until dissolved. Stir in milk mixture and 3 1/2 cups flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in eggs. Add remaining flour gradually, mixing in the last by hand until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is very soft.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover with a bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Knead dough with additional flour as needed, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl; flip dough to grease both sides. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Punch down dough. Take golf ball-sized bits of dough and roll out into snakes. Roll each end in opposite directions to create 'S' forms. Place buns on the prepared baking sheets.
• Combine egg yolk and water in a bowl with a whisk. Brush over buns.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving oven on. Quickly place 1 raisin in the center of each 'S' curve.
• Return to the oven and continue to bake until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.

Steps:

• Melt butter or margarine in a pan and add the milk and the saffron.
• Warm the mixture to 37 oC (100 oF).
• Use a thermometer; the correct temperature is important!
• Pour the mixture over the finely divided yeast; then add the remaining ingredients (except for the egg and the raisins), which should have a temperature of 21-23 oC (72-75 oF).
• Mix into a smooth dough.
• Cover the dough with a piece of cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes.
• Knead the dough, divide it into 25-30 pieces and form each piece into a round bun.
• Let the buns rest for a few minutes, covered by a piece of cloth.
• Form each bun into a string, 15-20 cm long, then arrange the string in a suitable shape, e.g. an S or double S. Regardless of the shape, the ends of the string should meet.
• Press a few raisins into the dough.
• Cover the"Lucia cats" with a piece of cloth and let them rise for 40 minutes.
• Whip the egg together with a few grains of salt, and paint the"Lucia cats" with the mixture.
• Bake them for 5-10 minutes in the oven at 250 oC (475 oF) until golden brownish yellow.

Steps:

• Crumble the saffron into the brandy (or cognac), and let sit for at least 20 minutes, or longer if possible (you can do this up to 24 hours in advance).
• In a saucepan, scald milk but over medium-low heat until it coats the back of a spoon with a thin milky residue, but DO NOT BOIL. Mix the scalded milk with the butter, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Let cool to lukewarm.
• Add yeast and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Add saffron (with the brandy or cognac), and stir well. Mix in half of the flour and egg, and mix until well combined. Stir in the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms. Cover and allow to sit in a warm place until puffy but not quite doubled (about 60 to 90 minutes).
• Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, each about the size of an egg. Roll each portion into a 5-inch long rope. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll each rope again to double the length to about 10 to 12 inches long. Curl the ends in opposite directions, to form a tight S-shaped figure. Tuck a raisin in the center of each curve at each end.
• Transfer rolls to a lightly greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Cover again, and let rise in a warm place for about 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Whisk together the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over each of the buns to achieve a glistening golden finish during baking. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the buns, for a little added sweetness.
• Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes before eating.