By Leah Herman
Saffron Winter Rolls
These rolls are made for Santa Lucia Day, which happens on December 13th and begins Christmas in Sweden. Although it is originally a Christmas recipe, I make these delicious rolls all year. They can be served with a little powdered sugar on top or alone – either way they make a great breakfast, snack or dessert. I recommend eating them within two days of making, especially if using buttermilk, but that shouldn’t be a problem. These disappear fast!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup buttermilk (whole milk can be substituted)
pinch of saffron*
3 1/2 cups white bread flour (I recommend King Arthur brand)
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp sugar
1 oz. active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (body temperature is good)
a few drops almond extract
1/4 cup butter, softened
*Saffron is a spice made from the petals of a flower by the same name. You can get it from most grocery stores, in the spice aisle. Store it in an airtight container. It is normally rather expensive, but don’t be scared by the tiny amount inside the package; a little bit goes a long way because it has a powerful flavor. Besides, making your own bread is so much cheaper than buying it that you can afford to splurge on some luxurious seasonings.
Glazing Ingredients:
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
Directions:
1. Place buttermilk in a double boiler and bring to a boil. You can make a double boiler yourself by
putting water inside of a large pot and sitting a small pot inside of it, on the lip – just be sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the small pot. If using milk, no double boiler is needed.
2. Add the saffron, remove from heat, and let sit for 15 minutes. Then mix the yeast and water with a pinch of sugar and let sit until the saffron milk is finished infusing.
3. While the buttermilk and yeast are sitting, combine flour, ground almonds, salt and sugar in a big bowl. Add the saffron buttermilk, yeast mixture and almond extract when they have finished. Gradually beat in butter. I find that at this point that the dough is generally too dry to be kneaded, so I would recommend adding 1/2 to 1 cup of extra buttermilk or water if your dough hasn’t become a little sticky.
4. Turn on a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and springy. Oil your big mixing bowl lightly. Place your dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 1 hour. Lightly grease two baking sheets in the 5 minutes before the hour is up.
5. Slowly push fist into dough until it has deflated (“punching it down”). Divide into 12 pieces. Take each piece of dough and roll between hands until it has formed a long cylinder.
Then make “S,” “U” or cross shapes with each piece. To make a cross, simply cut one of the twelve pieces in two and make an indent in one piece so the other can be placed on top. Curl the ends so they form swirls. Be sure to form each piece on the baking sheets so you do not have to transfer it later.
6. Cover rolls with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes next to the oven (so they’re warm). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Beat the egg and water together to form a glaze. Brush onto the rolls. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Allow a cooling period of 5-10 minutes before serving.
How to Knead…
1. Start by placing the dough on a lightly floured surface that won’t stick. I recommend either taping wax paper to the counter or cleaning your counter very thoroughly so you can knead directly on it.
2. Place your right hand on the top edge of the dough. Place your left hand in the center.
3. Fold the edge of the dough into the center and push down with your left hand.
4. Turn the dough 90 degrees to the right and repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have kneaded for the specified amount of time.
5. When you are finished, the dough should be springy enough that when you push in a finger it completely springs back. The texture should be elastic. If you find that, while kneading, the dough has already become too springy to knead for the whole time, allow the dough to relax for 5 minutes before continuing the process.