Lucia Bullar

St. Lucia Buns

Sunday is St. Lucia Day.  If you live in Minnesota and were lucky enough to score tickets tomorrow is the big celebration at ASI.  For those of you unfamiliar with the holiday, read the Wiki blurb here.

My favorite Lucia Bullar recipe is Marcus Samuelsson's from Aquavit: the New Scandinavian Cuisine.  The recipe includes milk, yeast, sugar, brandy, saffron, cardamom, and raisins.  I substitute 1/2 cup of butter for the same portion of milk.

There are many ways to shape a Lucia Bulle.  The simple Julgaltar or "S" shape is probably the most common, which is the one pictured above.  Each shape has its own historical shapelore (Yes, I just made that word up).

Christmas Boars or Julgaltar: Take one strip and roll in the ends to the shape of the letter S.

Lucia Cats or Lussekatter ("X" Shape): Put two strips side by side and curl in the ends. Or place two strips crosswise and curl in the ends.

Lucia Crowns or Luciakronor:  Take one strip and shape into a half-moon on the cookies sheet. Roll up

four strips and attach them to the top of the curve of the half-moon.

Christmas Oxen or Juloxar:  Form the strip into a closed V-shape and curl in the ends in opposite

directions.

Golden Wagons or Gullvagnar:  Place two strips crosswise and curl in the ends, all in the same direction. Or, roll up five strips; place one in center and attach the others around its border, the curls meeting two and two.

Christmas Wagons or Julvagnar:  Place three strips crosswise. Curl in the ends, all in the same direction.

Christmas Cake or Julkaka:  Roll up seven strips; place one in center and the others around with the

curls in the same directions. (From Kristina Carheden, Food and Festivals: Swedish Style)

This morning we will indulge in our Lucia Bullar and hot coffee.  I hope you do the same this weekend.  Glad Lucia Dag!