Saffron derives from the autumn crocus flower ( Crocus sativus ), a perennial plant that blooms in the fall. The signature red threads in the center, or the stigma, are used in cooking and baking and have a floral, earthy flavor that becomes slightly sweet with notes of honey, found in soups such as cioppino and desserts like rice pudding . Saffron is among the most expensive spices in the world, commanding a wholesale price of up to $10,000 per pound.

Lussekatter (St. Lucia’s Day Saffron Buns)

Active Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

2 hrs 45 mins

Yield:

18 buns

Lussekatter are vivid saffron buns served on the feast of St. Lucia. Here, Nichole Accettola of Kantine in San Francisco rethinks the traditional approach and works with a tangzhong, made with an Asian baking technique in which a portion of the flour and liquid in a yeast dough is cooked into a paste before being incorporated into the dough. This enables the flour to absorb and retain more liquid, which in turn allows the citrusy, pillowy buns to retain their moisture for longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is saffron?

Saffron derives from the autumn crocus flower (Crocus sativus), a perennial plant that blooms in the fall. The signature red threads in the center, or the stigma, are used in cooking and baking and have a floral, earthy flavor that becomes slightly sweet with notes of honey, found in soups such as cioppino and desserts like rice pudding. Saffron is among the most expensive spices in the world, commanding a wholesale price of up to $10,000 per pound.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

If the dough feels slightly wet, flour the work surface to help shape the buns.

Make ahead

Dough can be made through step 4 and kept for up to 12 hours in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, proceed with step 5 as directed.

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Ingredients

Tangzhong

1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Dough

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon saffron threads
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 1 pound 3 1/8 ounces), plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces, softened, plus more for greasing bowl
36 golden raisins

Orange Simple Syrup

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)

Directions

Make the tangzhong:

Whisk together milk and flour in a small saucepan until smooth and no lumps remain. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer tangzhong to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
Make the dough:

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Grease a medium bowl with butter; set aside. Whisk together milk and saffron threads in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Remove pan from heat as soon as bubbles form around edge. Let saffron steep until milk cools, about 15 minutes. Pour milk and saffron into bowl of stand mixer with tangzhong.
Add flour, yeast, salt, and 1 egg to milk mixture. Beat on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes, pausing to scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium, and beat until dough is smooth and doesn’t stick to bowl, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add butter, 1 piece at a time, beating until fully incorporated after each addition. Once all butter is added, beat dough on medium speed until it looks glossy, about 4 minutes.
Transfer dough to prepared bowl; cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Divide dough into 18 portions (about 2 1/4 ounces each). Clean any residual dough off of work surface with a bench scraper, then dust surface again with flour.
Form each dough portion into a ball by rolling it under your palm until it is round and smooth. Roll each dough ball into a 12- to 14-inch-long rope. Curl 1 end of the rope into a coil, stopping at the midpoint of the dough rope. Curl opposite end into a coil in the opposite direction, stopping at the midpoint where it meets the first coil; the bun should look like a figure eight. Place shaped bun on 1 of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat procedure with remaining dough balls, placing 9 shaped buns on each baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
Cover baking sheets with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and place in a warm (65°F to 70°F), draft-free spot on the counter until doubled in size and an indentation made in the dough with your fingertip is slow to fill in, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 egg in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each bun with egg wash. Place 1 raisin in the center of each coil (2 raisins per bun).
Bake in preheated oven until buns are lightly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through bake time. Transfer buns to a wire rack, and let cool until you can handle them comfortably, about 15 minutes.
Make the orange simple syrup:

Stir together sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-high, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and let cool completely, about 10 minutes. Stir in zest. Brush each bun with orange simple syrup. Serve warm.