I've been planning a post about the delicious and fun "semla", and today is the appropriate day for it!
Ever since I arrived last month, I have seen these buns filled with what looks like whipped cream for sale everywhere. They seem to be such a part of Swedish culture that they even required the contestants on "Biggest Loser Sweden" to look at a plate full of them without eating them. So, I asked "what are those buns?", and of course heard the response, "Oh, they're called "semla"! You don't have them in the USA?" We don't have them in the USA, but they are delicious so I don't think the country would mind if they made their way across the Atlantic.
But...what are they? Well, they're a sweet bread bun that they cut the middle out of. Then, they mix the middle bread with a marzipan-esque mix called "mandelmassa" (literally translated into "almond mix/mash"). Then, they put the mixture back into the bun, top it with whipped cream, put the top part of the bread back on it, and top it with powdered sugar.
Apparently, there have been variations to the mixture, such as adding vanilla pudding/custard, cherry pie filling, etc., but the traditional swedish variation is the mandelmassa mix. I think that the recipes for semla vary based on family, just like cookie/cake/brownie recipes vary by family in the USA.
They start selling them after Christmas, but Fat Tuesday (Fettisdagen) is the day they traditionally started selling them. Then, every Tuesday until Easter, you eat these buns - think of it as kind of like a break from the fasting that was/is supposed to happen during the Easter holiday.
Now after writing about semla, and looking at the pictures, my mouth is watering. I better make my way to the bakery ASAP to get one for myself and celebrate Fettisdagen the right way!
Ever since I arrived last month, I have seen these buns filled with what looks like whipped cream for sale everywhere. They seem to be such a part of Swedish culture that they even required the contestants on "Biggest Loser Sweden" to look at a plate full of them without eating them. So, I asked "what are those buns?", and of course heard the response, "Oh, they're called "semla"! You don't have them in the USA?" We don't have them in the USA, but they are delicious so I don't think the country would mind if they made their way across the Atlantic.
Semla in a bakery window
But...what are they? Well, they're a sweet bread bun that they cut the middle out of. Then, they mix the middle bread with a marzipan-esque mix called "mandelmassa" (literally translated into "almond mix/mash"). Then, they put the mixture back into the bun, top it with whipped cream, put the top part of the bread back on it, and top it with powdered sugar.
Cross-Section of Semla
Apparently, there have been variations to the mixture, such as adding vanilla pudding/custard, cherry pie filling, etc., but the traditional swedish variation is the mandelmassa mix. I think that the recipes for semla vary based on family, just like cookie/cake/brownie recipes vary by family in the USA.
They start selling them after Christmas, but Fat Tuesday (Fettisdagen) is the day they traditionally started selling them. Then, every Tuesday until Easter, you eat these buns - think of it as kind of like a break from the fasting that was/is supposed to happen during the Easter holiday.
Homemade Semla (tastes MUCH better!)
Now after writing about semla, and looking at the pictures, my mouth is watering. I better make my way to the bakery ASAP to get one for myself and celebrate Fettisdagen the right way!
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