Semlor — Swedish cardamom buns with almonds and whipped cream

Beat the whole egg without its shell and weigh out 50 g. Set aside 40 g for the dough, then cover and refrigerate the remaining 10 g for brushing. Weigh the other ingredients. The dough milk should be lukewarm, not hot, the butter soft, and the cream still very cold. Line one baking sheet, about 30 × 40 cm, with parchment paper.

In a bowl, dissolve 15 g fresh yeast in 150 g lukewarm milk with 40 g sugar. Add the prepared 40 g egg, all 300 g flour, 3 g salt, and 2 g cardamom. Mix with a spoon, then knead for a few minutes by hand or with a dough hook until the ingredients form a uniform, soft dough. Do not add the butter yet.

Add all 50 g soft butter a piece at a time, kneading for about 8–10 minutes with a dough hook or 10–12 minutes by hand. The dough should be smooth and elastic, though it may stick slightly to your hands. Gather it with a scraper, without adding flour or greasing your hands. Shape into a ball in the bowl and cover so the surface does not dry out.

Leave the covered bowl in a warm, draft-free spot at normal kitchen temperature for about 45–60 minutes. The dough should increase noticeably in volume, almost doubling, and become airy. It may need longer in a cooler kitchen; judge by its rise, not just the clock.

Transfer all the dough to a clean counter or mat and gently deflate it. Divide into eight pieces of about 75 g. Round each piece by tucking the edges underneath, then roll under your palm into a smooth ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet in rows of three, three, and two, leaving room for rising.

Cover the buns with a light kitchen towel and leave for about 35–50 minutes, until noticeably larger and fluffy. A gentle finger press on the side should leave a dent that slowly springs back. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 200°C, conventional top and bottom heat. Do not press down on the risen balls when removing the towel.

Take out the reserved 10 g egg and gently brush all eight buns, using the entire portion. Bake on the middle rack for about 16–20 minutes, until evenly golden with lightly browned bottoms. Transfer to a cooling rack; do not leave them to cool on the hot baking sheet.

Cool the buns for at least 45 minutes, until completely cold inside as well. Cut a small lid about 1 cm thick from each and save all eight. With a teaspoon, scoop out a little soft crumb to make a shallow hollow without piercing the bottom. Collect all the removed crumb in the filling bowl.

Add 100 g finely ground almonds, 65 g sugar, and all 60 g milk to the bowl of collected crumb. Mash thoroughly with a fork or blend briefly in a small food processor to make a thick, soft paste. Leave for a few minutes while preparing the cream. Do not add extra milk and do not set aside any of the crumb.

Pour all 300 g well-chilled sweet cream with 36% fat into a cool bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy and holding a distinct soft peak on the beaters. Stop before it turns grainy. Do not sweeten the cream; the filling and powdered sugar provide the sweetness.

Divide all the almond filling equally among the eight hollows. Add all the whipped cream, about one-eighth per bun, with a spoon or piping bag. Scrape the cream from the bowl and bag. Set the reserved lids on top, resting them lightly on the cream without pressing down hard.

Using a small sieve, lightly dust the lids with the prepared powdered sugar, working over paper. A thin layer is enough; any sugar left in the sieve or on the paper is not served. One finished semla weighs approximately 135 g. Serve shortly after assembly and keep refrigerated until then. Use covered leftovers within 24 hours.