Exactly TWO Semlor

Semlor are the iconic buns Swedes eat for Fat Tuesday. I made a video detailing how to make them a couple of years ago, and while people enjoyed it, I got a few comments asking if the batch needed to be so large. I think that recipe yields around 30 buns, which is honestly a lot for most people. One day, while scrolling Instagram, I saw Broma Bakery’s recipe for just one chocolate chip cookie (it’s great, btw!), and a light bulb went off in my head: could I make a semlor recipe for just one bun?  

Turns out just one is too small, but two buns? That I could do. I suppose you could just make one really large semla if you like, but this recipe makes two “normal”-sized semlor.  

I also tried to make the recipe as accessible as possible. I didn’t use any piping tips or special equipment. You can use either dry or fresh yeast for this recipe and whatever type of ground cardamom you can get your hands on.  

I also made the filling with almond flour and powdered sugar, as that seems to be more readily available outside of the Nordics. You can use marzipan OR almond paste to make the filling if you like. Just grate 60 grams of either and slowly add the cream or water while mixing to form a paste.  

Print Recipe

Exactly TWO Semlor

Ingredients

Dough

• 40 g milk
• 15 g butter
• 70 g flour
• 15 g sugar
• 1 g salt
• 1 g ground cardamom
• 5 g fresh yeast OR 2g dry yeast

Filling

• 30 g toasted almond flour*
• 30 g powdered sugar**
• 20 g cream OR water
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 drops almond extract optional

Garnish

• 50 g whipped cream approximately
• Chopped toasted salted almonds (optional)
• Powdered sugar

Instructions

Dough

• Melt the butter.
• Stir together the warm butter and the milk so the butter isn’t hot.
• Add the yeast and stir until it is dissolved.
• Mix in the rest of the ingredients and let rest in the mixing bowl, covered, for 15 minutes.
• Stir again for 30 seconds to a minute, and let rest, covered, for another 15 minutes.
• Take the dough out of the bowl and pull and stretch it for a couple of minutes.
• Wrap it in plastic and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough in half, round into balls, and place them on a parchment- or Silpat-lined tray.
• Let proof until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Bake at 200°C/400°F for about 8 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let cool.

Filling

• Mix everything together into a thick paste.

Garnish

• Cut a triangle out of the top of each bun and pull out some of the inside.
• Fill each bun with half of the filling.
• Dip into chopped toasted almonds or sprinkle them over the top.
• Dollop on the whipped cream.
• Place the little triangle you cut out on top like a hat, then dust with powdered sugar.
• Best served immediately!

Notes

*Toasting the almond flour is optional but I think it deepens the almond flavor
** You can use marzipan OR almond paste to make the filling if you like. Just grate 60 grams of either and slowly add the cream or water while mixing to form a paste.