St. Lucia Buns: Swedish Saffron Christmas Bread 

Source: Adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book
Yield: 24 buns
 

• 2 packages active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup warm water, 110F to 115F

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs, room temperature

• 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Glaze

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons milk

• Swedish pearl sugar

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast in the warm water; stir gently and briefly with a fork. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar; stir again. Let mixture stand until the yeast foams, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining sugar, butter, cream, milk, saffron, salt and eggs. Fit mixer with the paddle attachment and beat well on medium-low speed until combined. Remove paddle attachment from mixer and fit with the dough hook. Add flour 1 cup at a time mixing well with each addition to keep the dough smooth and satiny. You may not need to use all of the flour.

2. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 24 even pieces (about 2-inches square). Roll each square into a long rope, about 12-inches long. Curl each end of a rope in opposite directions, creating an "S" shape (or a backward "S" shape). Lift the bun onto the parchment; repeat curling with remaining dough ropes until there are 12 per baking sheet.

5. For the glaze, beat the egg in a condiment cup and stir in the milk. Brush each bun with the glaze then sprinkle over pearl sugar.  Place sheets in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes

6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy.
    

Cook's notes:
I use a stand mixer with a dough hook to make this bread, this helps so it requires no intensive kneading. 
You may not have to use all the flour. I used a little less than 4 cups. I stopped adding flour when the dough started pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl (while beaten with the dough hook).
I place the sheets of buns some where warm &  draft free. The warmth encourages the dough to raise.

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St. Lucia Buns
Buns

• 1 cup milk

• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, lightly crushed

• 1/2 cup butter

• 4 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• 1 tablespoon instant yeast

• 1/4 cup potato flour or 1/2 cup instant potato flakes

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   

Topping

• 1 large egg white (reserved from dough) mixed with

• 1 tablespoon cold water

• coarse pearl sugar, optional

• golden raisins, optional

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan set over medium heat (or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave), heat the milk and saffron to a simmer; remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Set the mixture aside to allow the butter to melt and cool to lukewarm, 30 to 35 minutes. You can reduce the milk’s cooling time by about 10 minutes by refrigerating it.

2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the yeast, flours, salt and sugar.

3. Separate one of the eggs, and set the white aside; you’ll use it later.

4. Pour the lukewarm milk and butter mixture over the dry ingredients.

5. Add the 2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, and the vanilla. Mix to combine, then knead for about 7 minutes by mixer, or 10 minutes by hand, till the dough is smooth and supple.

6. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or large (8-cup) measuring cup, cover it, and let it rise for 1 hour, or until it’s quite puffy, though not necessarily doubled in bulk.

7. Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 12 equal pieces. A scale makes this job easy; each piece will weigh about 92g, or 3 1/4 ounces.

8. Shape the pieces of dough into rough logs, and let them rest, covered, for about 10 minutes. This gives the gluten a chance to relax.

9. Roll each log into a 15″ to 18″ rope. They’ll shrink once you stop rolling; that’s OK.

10. Shape each rope into an “S” shape. Tuck a golden raisin into the center of each of the two side-by-side coils, if desired.

11. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or so between them. Cover them, and let them rise for about 30 minutes, till they’re noticeably puffy, but definitely not doubled. While they’re rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.

12. Brush each bun with some of the egg white/water glaze. Sprinkle with coarse white Swedish pearl sugar, if desired.

13. Bake the buns until they’re golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. If you’ve used raisins, tent them with foil for the final 3 minutes, to prevent the raisins from burning.

14. Remove the buns from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool.

       Yield: 12 large buns