Finally, the time has come! I was waiting for this moment with trepidation and I think there couldn’t be a more appropriate day to introduce you to my very first Guest Blogger.

Meet Silvia: best friend, amazing woman, Scandi-addict. Silvia spent her Erasmus months in Sweden and has not so secretly been planning her way back ever since. In the meanwhile, she enjoys cycling across the coldest countries, taking care of her adopted reindeer Gandi (who grazes happily in Scotland) and, sometimes, going around dressed as one. You can read more about her adventures here on her personal blog.

We spent a very rainy Sunday afternoon baking these soft, heartwarming buns. And here is how Silvietta did her magic.. Now who’s the sweetest: Silvia or St Lucia? Enjoy!

When I was in Gothenburg I soon realized that 13th December isn’t just a date: it’s Lucia. That means that candle crowns, choirs, gingerbread cookies and glogg take over Sweden and no one can escape this Lucia-invasion. Throughout the day girls dressed as Lucia will go in schools, malls, churches and all other public places singing and delivering a message of hope and “light” on the shortest – therefore the darkest – day of the year.

Mörkret ska flykta snart
ur jordens dalar
så hon ett underbart
ord till oss talar.
Dagen ska åter ny
stiga ur rosig sky
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia.

(Darkness will soon take flight, from all the earth
These words she speaks to us, wonderful tidings
Daytime will come again, rise in a rosy sky
Sankta Lucia, Sankta Lucia)

To celebrate Sankta Lucia properly, on this day Swedes have Lussekatter (saffron buns) instead of the very-Swedish Kanellbullar (cinnamon rolls) on their fika (the world-famous Swedish coffee break).

Fancy trying the taste of Sweden for a day? There you go!

Kanelbullar

Ingredients
(20 buns approx. )

For the dough:
25 g yeast
100 g sugar
250 ml milk
100 g butter
1 tsp salt
1 tbs ground cardamom
500 g flour

For the filling:
100 g butter
50 g brown sugar
cinnammon (the more, the merrier!)

For the glaze:
pearl sugar

Know-how

Crumble the yeast in a bowl and stir in a few tablespoons of milk. Melt the butter and pour the milk on it. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead the dough by hand or in a dough mixer for 10–15 minutes. Let the dough rise while covered at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough so it is about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick and 30 cm (12 in) wide. Spread the room-temperature butter on top. Make a mixture of sugar and cinnamon (lots of!) and sprinkle it over the dough. Roll the dough the long way and cut the roll into about 25 slices. Place them with the cut edge upward in paper molds. Place on a baking sheet and let them rise for a while.
Beat an egg and water together (you can even use milk as an alternative), carefully brush the buns with the mix and sprinkle some pearl sugar on top. Bake in the oven (200°C) for 10/15 minutes.

Varsågod!