Lucia rolls

This is a recipes for a rich saffron bun that  are a traditional Swedish Christmas treat. Sort of a sweet bread roll that is a golden yellow from the saffron.  Also the recipe calls for Quark cheese, this is a sort of cream cheese that is a bit like yogurt.  It is rather low in fat a bit like a cross between a curd cheese and cottage cheese.  You should be able to get it from   a good delicatessen of big supermarket.  You are supposed to have them with a good strong cup of coffee.

You will need

1 tsp saffron threads

250ml/9fl oz tepid milk

500g/1lb 2oz strong white flour

7g/¼oz sachet of fast-action dried yeast

1 tsp salt

50g/1¾oz golden caster sugar

50g/1¾oz unsalted butter, melted

100g/3½oz Quark cheese

1 egg yolk

Handful of raisins

Start jut by heating the milk a little and adding the saffron to it.  This is the beat way of getting the colour in to the bread, the milk goes that lovely golden orange and yellow.  You do not want to bring the milk to a boil just warm it up a little and the it off the heat.  Set it to one side, place the butter in to it, and let that melt down in the warm milk. You only want to get the milk up to about a warm bath but not much hotter.

While the butter is melting, take your flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl and combine it altogether.  Now make a well in the centre.  Now take your butter, milk, and saffron mixture and give it a good stir, you want this to be about body temperature or just above before, you add it to the mix.  Port the liquid in to the well and add the Quark cheese, break the cheese up as best you can to help it work in to the mix.  Bring this together and then from the dough

Knead the dough on a floured surface for abut 10 minutes, or until smooth. Then place in an oiled bowl, cover with oiled Clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1½-2 hours until it has risen.

Now once it has risen you have to knock back the dough and divide into the individual rolls, for this mix you get about 12.  Roll each one into a rectangle then twist the bough.  Now form the twists in to a 'S' shape. Now place on the prepared baking sheet and cover loosely.  Let them rise once more for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Once they have risen brush the rolls with the egg yolk, then place one raisin in the centre of each end of the roll. Now put them in a preheat the oven set at 220c/425f.

They take about 15 minutes to bake and remove when all golden drown on the top. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.