Lucia Celebration in Sweden

This post "Lucia Celebration in Sweden" was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/ Tyras Garden

13th of December - It is now on this day we celebrate LUCIA. Saint Lucy's Day

Lucia Celebration in Hållnäs Church in the northern part of Uppland, Sweden

A traditional kind of bun is normally eaten on this day, Lussekatt or Lussebulle translated to english "St. Lucia Bun". It is made with saffron.

Although St. Lucia's Day is not an official holiday in Sweden, it is a popular occasion among all ages here in Sweden. Early in the morning we watch the Lucia on the television or "live" at home.

 

Saffron Bread for Advent

This post Saffron bread for Advent was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Saffron bread for Advent

Lussekatter - Saffron buns - Santa Lucia buns
Do have a go and make some wonderful Saffron bread for Advent, they are so delicious.

Read about the History of Saffron

Santa Lucia - Saint Lucy's Day

RECIPE for saffron buns/bread

Saffron Bread for Advent, my "glorious mix" for this weeks Mosaic Monday

With a Scent och Lemon and Saffron

I just want to show you this remarkable out of the ordinary tulip, not like any other in my mixed tulip bouquet. It does not really look like a tulip more like a Peony with its feathery leaves and it is fragrant like my white Peonies too, a scent of lemon and saffron, very interesting indeed. Name? Unfortunatly no name but it looks like a Mondial double tulip although Mondial is more white in the colour. We still have an amazing and beautiful winter scene outside the window but frankly we are all a bit fed up with all the snow and cold weather. Stay warm/ Tyra 

Blooming friday at Katarinas place - Blommig fredag och våran värd är Katarina.

Till min stora glädje brukar jag få tulpanbuketter av min man så här års och finns det blandade buketter köper han alltid det. Den här tulpanen var en av dom och jag bara tvungen att foto, den såg inte ut som de andra och hade en underbar doft av citron och saffran. Fantastiskt tunna lätta blad som fjädrar. Jag har inget namn men den liknar en dubbel tulpan som heter Mondial men den är lite mer vit. Hoppas att vi får en fin helg med mycket sol så vi kan njuta av all underbar snö. Det är ju fantasktiskt vackert med all snö men jag som troligtvis alla andra vill ju att Kung Bore nu skall släppa taget och låta våren komma in. 

S:t Lucia and SAFFRON BREAD - The Recipe

© This post was originally uploaded and written by Tyra at the blog Tyra's Garden http://waxholm.blogspot.com

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My brothers daughter Emma as Lucia S:t Lucia

Saffron Bread - A Swedish Recipe - Lussekatter

This is as I promised earlier the recipe of the very traditional Swedish saffron bread called Lussikatter. This is the bread we eat during Advent, for the day of S:t Lucia that is on the 13th of December and Christmas.

For the saffron dough:

50 g yeast (1,76 ounces)
150 g butter (5,5 ounces)
5 dl milk (17 fl ounces)
1 can (each containing 250 grams) smooth cottage cheese
2 package (each 0.5 g) saffron
1.5 dl granulated sugar 5 fl ounces
0.5 teaspoons salt (or not)
about 17 dl wheat flour (57 fl ounces)

2 dl raisins - add raisins after the first ‘rest’
1 egg - brush/glace the buns with an egg just before you put them into the oven.

This is how you make the dough:

1. Down with the yeast in a bowl, divide it with your fingers.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Pour in the milk, stir and heat to 37 C (luke warm).

3. Pour some of liquid mixture over the yeast and stir until it is dissolved.

4. Add the rest of liquid, smooth cottage cheese, saffron, sugar and salt. Most of the flour and work the dough thoroughly… ah…a bit more yes it take time oh… hard work. Cover the bowl with the dough and rest for 30-45 min.

5. Pick up the dough on a floured working surface. Here I add a lot of raisins in my dough because I love raisins in the bread (2 dl) knead it smooth and shiny. Divide the dough into 4 parts and then each part into 8 parts.(or more) Roll out each part to ‘string’ and roll the ends towards the middle like and ‘S’put them on the baking sheet.
This is the most common shape but you can make it into different shapes and they are all called different names. Press raisins in the ‘holes’ of the ‘S’ press properly. Allow to rest for to double the size of 20-30 minutes.

6. Brush the bread with an egg.

7. Bake Lussekatter in the middle of the oven 225 ° C for about 8 minutes.

TYRA

Do you remember Frances (Fairegarden) wonderful post?

Mad about saffron

photo: Frances (Fairegarden)

More Saffron bread posts

The Start of the Season of Advent.

Tyra wrote this post at the blog Tyra’s Garden http://waxholm.blogspot.com

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Advent Sunday

Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day.
It also marks the start of the wonderful season of Advent.

The first candle is now lit and we are entering the season of Advent. Today the family gathered to celebrate the first Sunday in Advent. Baking the wonderful Swedish saffron bread which filled the house with a most wonderful scent, the smell of fresh baked bread and saffron. I have written about it in an earlier post. I will give you the recipe in English when we are approaching the day of Saint Lucia and that is on the 13th of December. In the season of Advent we also drink ‘Glögg’ and that is a mulled wine served warm with almond and raisins, it is really nice especially when it’s cold outside. This mulled wine goes very well with the saffron bread and the traditional ginger biscuits.

Last year we were going to Kerala, India for our winter holiday so then I decorated my Advent candleholder inspired of that, a non traditional candle holder with an 'Indian elephant and spices from Kerala'.

This year we will stay at home and I have no special theme I choosed to take some moss and Ivy from the garden and a small orchid I hade at home. This is how it looks...not very traditional but I like it.

Now during Advent the house is filled with the wonderful Hyacinths, blue , white and pale pink. After they have bloomed I usually plant them in the garden and they will flower again late spring or early summer. I do love the wonderful sweet-scented Hyacinths, I know the fragrant can be very strong but no one in our family are over sensitive to the scent.

Idag har vi äntligen kommit in i Advent, som jag har längtat! Nu får vi börja njuta av decembers alla delikatesser. Jag får till och med ett par pepparkakor till morgonkaffet så att jag skall vara snäll hela dagen J. Idag har vi bakat saffranbröd och familjen har varit samlad för att dricka glögg och äta pepparkakor och annat godis, riktigt trevlig. I år har jag en ny variant på adventsljusstake igen varje år hittar jag på något nytt i år blev det med en enkel liten orchidé. Man tager vad man haver som Kajsa Varg en gång lär ha sagt.

Have a wonderful week this first week of the season of Advent!