Semlor Buns
Semlor are sweet cardamom-flecked buns filled with almond paste, whipped cream, and dusted with confectioner's sugar.
Equipment
- Pastry bags and large star or straight tips
Ingredients
Buns:
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons crushed cardamom seeds
Almond Filling:
- 2 cups blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Milk or almond milk, as needed to make a paste filling
- Crumbs from hollowed buns, optional
Cream and Finishing:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped for piping consistency
- Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Instructions
For the Buns:
- In a small saucepan, heat together the butter and the milk just until the butter is melted. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl and let cool until warm to the touch but not hot.
- Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the milk mixture and gently stir. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
- Whisk one of the eggs and add to the milk and yeast mixture. Add the sugar, 3 cups of the flour, salt and cardamom and mix together with a dough hook attachment or by hand with a wooden spoon.
- Once the dough comes together, transfer it to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding a bit more of the remaining ½ cup of flour as needed to control stickiness. The dough should be slightly moist but not stick to your hands. Be careful not to add too much flour or the buns will be dry.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic or a damp tea towel and let rise for about an hour until doubled.
- Punch the dough down and divide into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and divide between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover both sheets and let the buns rise for another 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Whisk the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water and brush on the tops of the buns. Skip this step if you prefer a matte finish to your buns.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, just until golden brown. Cool on a rack, covering the buns with a tea towel to keep them soft.
- Once the buns have cooled completely, cut a triangle or circular lid from the top of each, using a small sharp serrated knife. Pull out some of the soft interior from each bun to create a space for the filling. Set these crumb centers aside.
Almond Filling:
- Combine the almonds, sugar and almond extract in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground and the mixture starts to stick together.
- If desired, add a small amount of the reserved bun centers (about ½ cup) to the mixture to thicken the paste and add texture and flavor. Process further, adding milk with the machine running in a thin stream until the mixture comes together and forms a smooth paste.
Assembling the Buns:
- Spoon some of the almond filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Fill each bun to the top with filling.
- Spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star or plain tip and top the filling on each bun in a decorative rosette. Place each lid back atop the buns and sift over a bit of confectioner's sugar. Serve the buns immediately or fill as needed for serving.
Notes
Tips for Success:
- Unless you have a large group to serve, the best way to preserve Semlor is by freezing extra unfilled buns until ready to eat. When ready to serve, defrost and make fresh preparations with the almond filling and freshly whipped cream.
- The filled Semlor will keep under refrigeration for about 2 days.
- Freshly ground cardamom seeds will give the best flavor to the dough! A teaspoon of ground cardamom may be used if you do not have cardamom pods and seeds.
- For a deeper almond flavor in the filling, toast the almonds first by spreading them on a sheet pan and baking at 325 degrees until golden brown.
Servings: 16 buns