Things you wanted to know about Semlor but were afraid to ask

Things you wanted to know about Semlor but were afraid to ask

Okay, maybe you’re not quite afraid to ask, but it’s more interesting than ‘Stuff you might know about semlor but let us just tell you in case you don’t”.

Here at ScandiKitchen, we’re always being asked about what these buns are, and why Swedes especially are so crazy about them. Here’s a handy 101 so you can impress your pals while you try to eat one.

What is a semlor?

First of all, it’s a semla. One semla, two semlor, and so on.

A semla is a cardamom bun made with yeast (yes, like a sweet bread roll, but nicer than you’re thinking right now). It’s served stuffed with very soft marzipan, a ton of whipped cream and a bit of icing sugar.

Yes, Swedish people love them. But so do Norwegians, Danes and Finns. In Norway and Finland, they serve them with jam instead of marzipan, which is also extremely good. In Denmark, they use a slightly different pastry – mainly because Danes always need to be different. In Danish and Norwegian, a semla is called a fastelavnsbolle (two fastelavnsboller, etc.), which means Shrovetide bun. In Finland, it’s known as a laskiaispulla.

Danish buns are either using a flaky pastry – or a yeast dough but baking the vanilla cream inside the bun.

But when?

A semla is a seasonal bun, served around Shrove Tuesday (we call it Fat Tuesday) and then sort of pushing towards Easter a bit. And then they’re gone. These days, most shops start selling these in January. Some people get really worked up if they find semlor served too early – or too late. We never serve them after Easter, except we did do it once or twice, but then we called them Agneta Buns so nobody would find out.

Scandinavians love rules and regulations for things, so Semlor have a season and can only be served during that time. In Sweden, it actually even used to be illegal to serve a semla outside of the accepted period. Here’s a genuine newspaper article from 1952 where the police were called to deal with some out-of- season semlor:

What’s the big deal?

Besides the threat of bun-jail? A semla is cream and marzipan in a bun, so it’s delicious. It’s quite heavy and makes you feel all ouuuuahhhh inside, as if you’ve just shoved two fingers up at your diet. It’s an excellent way to celebrate the end of January.

How do you eat a Semla?

There are FOUR acceptable ways:

1. Your basic method is to lick the cream off the lid and use it to scoop more cream, then eat the bun.
2. When you feel more confident, eat the lid first, then stuff your face – and get cream on your nose and inside your left nostril.
3. If you want a traditional old-style Swedish experience, place your semla in a bowl of hot milk and eat it using a spoon. It’s a thing for some; a purist semla ritual.
4. Your fourth method is the most popular one: push bun towards your face with glee. Open mouth. Inhale.

How popular are they?

Around 20 million (yes, million) are sold in Sweden each year. This doesn’t quite add up with the other statistic (see sweden.se for more) that the average Swede consumes five semlor from a bakery each year, because that would mean 45m buns per year, plus the homemade ones. Millions of buns. Billions of delicious calories.

On Shrove Tuesday (called Fettisdag in Sweden, which literally means ‘Mardi Gras’ or ‘Fat Tuesday’), six million semlor are sold in Sweden on that day alone. Add all the buns from Finland, Norway and Denmark and we’ve got ourselves a party. Pancakes is not a thing.

Are they dangerous?

Why would a cream bun be dangerous? Well, a former king of Sweden died after eating too many semlor. King Adolf Fredrik decided to follow a banquet of lobster and champagne with 14 semlor in 1771. Cause of death: indigestion.

Can I make them at home?

Of course you can. Here’s a great recipe. Making them at home means you can eat three buns in one sitting and nobody will know, only you may need to wear pants with stretchy waist band for a while. Also, you can bake them in October and you won’t go to bun-jail.

I can’t be bothered to bake today, can I get them at ScandiKitchen?

Yes, and we’ll never judge you because this isn’t the Great British Bake Off. We’re selling them every day until Good Friday. But not later, because we’ll get a warning from the Bun Police. Find us here 

On some weekends leaving up to Shrove Tuesday we also make other semlor buns – anything from Salted caramel, Lemon, Oreo, Saffron, Princess and many more kinds.

Did anyone ever make a big huge semla?

Someone in Sweden once baked a semla weighing in at 160kg in 2001, fact fiend.

Are there any famous people called Semla?

Yes, Semla Hayak, Semla Blair and Semla Norén. Måns Semlalöv. Semla Lagerlof. Many people love the Semlas. Sorry, Semlor.

Can semlor-eating be sexy?

If you bring your loved one semlor, they’ll love you even more. It’s a known fact. Try it.

Semlor buns served at our cafe in London until Easter – we’re open 7 days a week. Find us near Oxford Circus.

ScandiKitchen

61 Great Titchfield St

London W1W 7PP