Wednesday, April 2, 2014

B ~ Buns (the baked variety) #atozchallenge


All Aboard! "It's Very Swedish..." a train on a cultural journey through Sweden, exploring the differences big and small between American and Swedish culture.

***

You might be wondering why I named the series "It's Very Swedish..."  It came from harassment.  Friends of mine one day, years into our friendship, commented, not so gently, "You sure say that a lot - It's very Swedish.  Do you even realize that?"  I guess I was just sharing about my homeland, or when something came up that was very American, I would counter with something "very Swedish."  The phrase has stuck in our friendship, and frankly, I think it's the perfect title for this series.


So today's very Swedish cultural discussion is about baking from scratch.  You can't really find a Betty Crocker cake mix, or a brownie mix, or a mix of any kind on the shelves of a Swedish grocery store, and I'm not just talking in the 70s.  In Sweden, baking is still done from scratch, and there's a lot of it going on.

One of the most popular items is a yeast-dough bread which is very versatile, and can be made into lots of shapes depending on your purpose.

Here's the basic recipe, converted to American measurements.  It does involve some "pinch of this" and "dab of that" which is how my Farmor (Father's Mother) always cooked, but The Nutritionist (my mother), kindly put in real numbers.  I don't think I'm the only one who needs them...

Basic Buns (Bullar)

1 stick butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Almost a full quart of flour
1 tablespoon dry yeast
Cinnamon
Sugar
Cardamom (if desired and available)
Vanilla sugar (an imported Swedish product, if available)
Pearl sugar (also an imported Swedish product, if available)

Start by melting the butter and adding the milk slightly warmed.  The mixture should be finger warm when combined.  Put in mixer with the egg and beat together.  Add sugar and salt and mix some more.

Add the yeast to the flour, and then add to the mixer with the other ingredients, gradually.  Work dough aggressively in mixer until it all sticks together, but don't overwork it.  

On floured board, roll into rectangle, spread with desired spices and sugars.  Roll from the long side into a log.

Let rise for an hour.  In winter months, a warm oven might be needed.

Now you have the choice of making individual buns, or a braid, or any other number of shapes depending on your creativity.

If making buns, use a sharp knife to cut into 3/4" pieces, and place in muffin papers with rolled part showing.  These are sprinkled with the "pearl sugar" after being brushed with a beaten egg, to help the sugar stick.




If making a braid, make roll into a circle.  Cut into 3/4 inch strips, flipping them backwards onto each other to resemble a braid.





To bake the buns, 400F for 5 minutes.
The braid, 375F for 15 minutes.

~Tina, who has never actually made these, since I'm hypoglycemic, but ate plenty before diagnosed as a teenager..

P.S This is a pinnable post.  It's not an embarrassing childhood photo, but it took me a good long time to get those words and that frame onto it so PLEASE, PIN IT.  If only for my efforts...

P.P.S A wonderful reader suggested a "printer friendly" version of the post to make the recipe easier to save.  Anybody know how to do that?  My admin is on medical leave...



©2014 All Rights Reserved
Photo credits:
Finished buns
How to braid
Sliced braid on plate: The Nutritionist.

62 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yum! These look really good - although I kind of doubt my braid would end up looking anything like the picture... I love the thought that somewhere exists that doesn't rely on the "fast paced" answers to modern American life like baking mixes. It says a lot that doing things from scratch is a part of that culture. Thanks for sharing!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tina .. I remember my mother making and baking bread at home ... it used to rise on the back of the Aga and then be ready for a gentle bake perfectly timed for whichever meal it was required at .. always so good straight out of the oven .. no time to rest!

The braiding looks fun - I'm impossible with that sort of thing .. and

Well done on the pinnable photo ..

Cheers to buns - happy B day - Hilary

Anna (herding cats-burning soup) said...

Oh...yum! Box mixes everywhere around here but I grew up in a home with a baker for a mom who did everything from scratch from cookies to wedding cakes and pastries so I took that with me when I left home.

I'll use a mix now and again (usually for experimental recipes where I don't want to waste more expensive ingredients while I'm tweaking to see if something works) but for the most part I'm a scratch baker/cook too :)

Happy A to Z-ing!
~Anna
My A to Z.

Anonymous said...

Hejsan, det är Jo som har skickat hit mig.
Under två sista åren har jag delat med mig Sverige genom A-Z Challenge, men i år på grund av hälsoproblem har jag inte möjlighet att skriva varje dag. Så jag har börjat min egen lilla utmaning - postcards from Sweden.
Underbart trevligt att träffa dig.
Hälsningar ifrån Viveka i Landskrona.

Unknown said...

I may have a go at your recipe with my little girl. Nice to connect and follow with an AtoZ host.
http://aimingforapublishingdeal.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: WriterBizWoman

Shelley Munro said...

Yum! That looks great. I'm a bake from scratch cook. Although packet mixes are available in NZ supermarkets, I don't know anyone who buys them.

Shelley Munro

A Daft Scots Lass said...

Pass the Buns please!

I thought I'd pay all the A to Z Blog Challenge Hosts a visit today. Everyone has put in so much effort into this event. I think its the best blog challenge in the Blogsphere! Enjoy the rest the challenge!

A Daft Scots Lass said...

I thought I'd pay all the A to Z Blog Challenge Hosts a visit today. Everyone has put in so much effort into this event. I think its the best blog challenge in the Blogsphere! Enjoy the rest the challenge! Great theme

Sheena-kay Graham said...

Today's post looks delicious. Mmmm buns. Swedish or not, food rules.

Tasha Duncan-Drake said...

Ooh, I shall have to remember this recipe. I always love to try baking new things. Thank you for sharing.
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings

Andrea said...

Nice buns! I might have to try these,but am slightly unsure of the quart of flour...4 cups I guess?

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I recall Siv saying in Norway there aren't mixes either - everything is made from scratch.
Basic buns. No, not going to touch that line this morning. (Will touch wife's buns later, but not that line.)

Brian Miller said...

mmmi def love me some buns...
and bread too.....ha.....def the braided kind as well...the smell as it is cooking....

Anonymous said...

I loved it totally. Detailed description. I am bookmarking this to try later!

Anonymous said...

I'll leave my baking to Pillsbury. It's just not in my wheelhouse. I can cook like a fiend and love it, but baking, meh, not so much.

It's funny you mention about "It's a Swedish thing." I say that about New York quite a bit. Not sure if you still have an accent but I do. That is always a conversation starter because I don't live there anymore.

I hope the A-Z is going smoothly for you!

Elsie
AJ's wHooligan in the A-Z Challenge

JoJo said...

It sure looks good! Not sure I have that kind of skill though to roll and cut into that pretty pattern. My grandmother was the same way with ingredients for her homemade pizzelle cookies. "I don't know, I just keep pouring/adding till I know what's the right amount'. Criminy.

Unknown said...

Yumm! I Definitely need some swedish pastries!

Cathy Kennedy said...

Mmm, looks so yummy that I had to Pin it! ;) Might I suggest you add a print-friendly option to your posts? This would be a really nice feature. I saved the entire page as a pdf so I can at least have your recipe to look back on when I'm ready to try it.

Anonymous said...

Yum! I read with great interest and awe the part about store-bought box mixes not being available in Sweden! That just blew me away! :)
And I love your Pin It comment: I don't think I'd know how to get words in a picture so my hats off to you! Fun post!

Kate @ Another Clean Slate said...

Yum! Those look delicious. I'll have to save on my Pinterest board for when I am feeling motivated to bake!

Anonymous said...

I think I want to move to Sweden.

Jo said...

Must admit I wondered what kind of buns. They look very good.

I used to bake bread many years ago when I lived in the UK, but haven't done so in years with all the diet restrictions and so on. I would always eat too much of the fresh bread. Matt could do it, I can't.

I guess I could use a printable recipe on my blog, never occurred to me, I just select it and print it.

Andrew Leon said...

Hey, those are my scissors! Give them back!

Those sound good, but that's a lot of sugar, so they're probably a skip in our house.

cleemckenzie said...

Love all things cultural, especially the food. I won't have time to bake until May, but I'll save the Bun recipe!

Unknown said...

YummmmmmmY!!!!! You made my mouth water with this post!!!
Happy A to Z!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

Anonymous said...

Oh, this looks so good! I'm a huge bread maker myself...currently experimenting with gluten free recipes, but still make homemade bread for my crew. Looks so yummy...oh, and the aroma when it's baking in the oven!

MJ, A to Z Challenge Co-Host
Writing Tips
Effectively Human
Lots of Crochet Stitches


debi o'neille said...

I used to love to watch my grandmother baked from scratch, and I'm very fortunate that she taught one of my daughters before passing. The talent never found me, but one of my daughters loves to bake. I also wanted to mention I like the clarification in your title, letting us know that you are referring to the kind of buns you bake. Very cute.
I joined your blog, but for some reason my photo didn't show up (so I'm that little blue generic face, which suits me fine.)
Deb@http://debioneille.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Love your buns, Tina!! The picture of the "how to" on cutting the braid was interesting, since I'm constantly thinking "how do they do that" about almost everything. Would this dough typically be made every day or do they do a weekly baking? As for printer friendly version - you don't need to mess with that now. Any reader can click edit in their browser, open a word program, paste, change text if desired and print it. It's easy to print that way.

Anonymous said...

Love your buns, Tina!! The picture of the "how to" on cutting the braid was interesting, since I'm constantly thinking "how do they do that" about almost everything. Would this dough typically be made every day or do they do a weekly baking? As for printer friendly version - you don't need to mess with that now. Any reader can click edit in their browser, open a word program, paste, change text if desired and print it. It's easy to print that way.

Darla Sue Dollman said...

Now, I'm hungry. I'm gluten free, but there is very little I enjoy to do in my free time more than baking. I'm in the process of moving back to Colorado where all of my gluten-eating children live and I will be trying out your recipe!

Unknown said...

We share the same love of buns here in Norway!Cake mix????Bread in a tin???? NEVER!!!!!

Brenda said...

Yummy and oh so not good for my diet. But I'll save for after I quit starving myself :-)

Brenda

www.AnEclecticAuthor.blogspot.com

SK Anthony said...

My...what lovely buns you have... :P
I could use one right now with my coffee. I like trying new culinary adventures...as long as they're simple, and this looks doable. Yum!

Amanda Lee said...

Love your buns! Pinned and pinned!

Laura Clipson said...

Ooh those look really good :)

Amanda Lee said...

This basic recipe looks very similar to the Norwegian Kringla recipe passed down through my husband's family. The kringlas are rolled into pieces about six inches long and formed into pretzel shapes and baked. There are eaten "dunked".

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

Well they look absolutely delicious but I was wondering, since you've never made them for yourself - perhaps you could make them for ME????? :)

Joanne Roberts said...

Pinned! Though that's no guarantee I'll actually attempt this. I love baking from scratch, but breads, not so much. I'll let you know how it comes out.
Thanks.

Silvia Writes said...

Growing up, I watched the women in my family bake from scratch all the time. This looks so delicious, so very Swedish. And I love it for that. Am saving the recipe, and sorry I don't know how to do the print thingy.

Silvia @
SilviaWrites

Choki Gyeltshen said...

Love your Bans!

Choki Gyeltshen said...

Love your Bans!

Unknown said...

Oh yum. I love that you are sharing some "very Swedish" fare. Can't wait to try this. And I hope your admin support is well soon. Thanks. God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living

Lynda Dietz said...

Nice buns! I'm going to have to save this recipe because, years ago, a friend made me a Swedish friendship bread that had cardamom in it and I've never found a recipe like it. It was delicious! I can't wait to try these.

CA Heaven said...

'Very Swedish" is a very positive phrase for me. We have a lot of dint jokes about the Swedes, but that's just because we're really good friends >:)

Cold As Heaven

kjmckendry said...

Those look delicious! I want to make them with my 15 year old, she and I love baking from scratch. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Rachel said...

That looks amazing! Something for me to try one day...once I own baking sheets and a mixer. haha

klahanie said...

Hi human, Tina,

How very Swedish of you, my lovely human friend.

Quite the recipe and I shall make this for my fictional human, Gary.

I could from scratch. Okay, I scratch then I cook :)

Penny, the pawsitive host of the Alphabark Challenge, 2014!

The Enchantress said...

Lovely !!! You made me soo sooo Hungry and thanks for the Recipe.:)

AJ Lauer said...

I bake from scratch a LOT. Though most of mine is gluten-free.. It's easier and healthier to make GF stuff from scratch than from a box.

These buns, though, look delicious. I'd be all over them :)

Aditi said...

Yummy!! I love freshly baked buns. This I have bookmarked!
Aditi, A2Z participant

Grammy Staffy said...

I look forward to making this bread. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Have a great evening.
Lura

Christy@SweetandSavoring said...

Oh, yum. I remember how delicious the cinnamon buns were in Stockholm- of course they are completely different from the buns here in the U.S., but I like them both!

Anonymous said...

How yummy does that bread look? I've never baked bread, but I'm going to give it a try. Thanks for the recipe.

Gail M Baugniet - Author said...

Great recipe, terrific pin-able post!
Gail visiting for AtoZ and IWSG

Ida Thought said...

Hi Tina, it came as quite a shock to me here in Denmark (so very similar to Swedish culture) that kids parties are generally only served buns and chocolate milk - and how empty the supermarket shelves are of all things artificial baking - though it has changed in the last few years

Mary Aalgaard said...

Wonderful post. I also wrote about bread and how baking bread is in my dna. I have Swedish heritage, too.
yum.
Play off the Page

Philip Verghese 'Ariel' said...

Hi Tina,
This looks nice,and delicious, i must give a try, oh! Not now,after the A to Z😊thanksa lot for sharing this to your visitors.
~ Phil

Michelle Wallace said...

Baking from scratch? Uh-oh. Not for me. I'll just pop by the local bakery and pick up some fresh, hot loaves...
Those buns/braids look scrumptious!

Anonymous said...

Oh those look and sound delicious! I might try my hand at them sometime.

Heather M. Gardner said...

That looks good!
I've always liked to bake and I'm moving back to more natural ingredients.
They taste better and they're cheaper.

Awesome.
HMG

Cheryl Wright said...

I love home made baked bread! Good luck with the A to Z Challenge. This is my first year.

Unknown said...

I've always been afraid to try my hand at baking from scratch. This recipe and your enthusiasm sure makes me want to give it a whirl!

I'm participating in AtoZ, too.
See you around!
~Andi-Roo
@TheWorld4Realz
TheWorld4Realz.com