Hilde Larsson’s Lussekatter
Saffron is the world’s costliest spice. A little goes a long way, but to make the most of the flavour, Hilde warms hers in the oven before using. This recipe makes 24 Lussekatter.
0.5 gram saffron threads
150 grams caster sugar
150 grams butter, melted
300 ml milk
2 packets (14 grams) dried yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
700 grams plain flour
a pinch of salt
melted butter, extra, for greasing
24 raisins
1 egg, extra, lightly beaten, for glazing
Pre-heat the oven to 250°C.
Place the saffron threads on a piece of aluminium foil and fold to enclose. Place the saffron packet in the oven and set the timer for 30 seconds.
When the timer rings, turn the oven off and remove the saffron packet. Carefully empty its contents into a mortar and pestle. Add a little of the sugar and grind the saffron to a powder.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the ground saffron mixture and the melted butter and set aside to infuse for about half an hour.
In the meantime, gently warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it reaches 37°C. You can test the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. Take care to heat the milk to the right temperature, because if it’s too hot it will kill the yeast and your dough will not rise. If it’s too cold the yeast might not activate.
Pour the milk into a large mixing bowl then add the yeast and the remaining sugar. Stir until the yeast and sugar dissolve. Add the egg and the saffron-infused butter to the milk mixture and stir to combine. Sift the flour and the salt over the wet ingredients and mix well until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl. Hilde then likes to tip the dough out onto her lightly floured kitchen table and use her hands to knead the dough until it is smooth.
Grease a large clean mixing bowl with the extra melted butter and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for the yeast to do its work.
After about 30 minutes, turn the dough out onto the table and knead it again. Then divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each piece into a sausage shape about 15–20 cm long. Shape each piece into a figure eight, joining the two ends underneath. Press a raisin into the centre of one end of each of the Lussekatter.
While the Lussekatter are resting, turn the oven back on and pre-heat to 250°C. Just before you bake the Lussekatter, use a pastry brush to glaze them with the extra egg.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Other books by Glenda Millard
When the Angels Came
Bringing Reuben Home
The Novice
Angel Breath
Mrs Wiggins’ Wartymelons
Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle
The Kingdom of Silk series
The Naming of Tishkin Silk
NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, shortlist
CBCA Awards, Honour Book
Layla, Queen of Hearts
CBCA Awards, shortlist
Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards, winner
Perry Angel’s Suitcase
NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, shortlist
WA Premier’s Literary Awards, shortlist
CBCA Book of the Year Award, winner
Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards, shortlist
Plum Puddings and Paper Moons
CBCA Awards, Notable Book
Copyright
The ABC ‘Wave’ device is a trademark of the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation and is used
under licence by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia.
First published in Australia in 2012
This edition published in 2012
by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
harpercollins.com.au
Text copyright © Glenda Millard 2012
Illustrations copyright © Stephen Michael King 2012
The rights of Glenda Millard and Stephen Michael King to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Millard, Glenda.
The tender moments of Saffron Silk / Glenda Millard;
Illustrated by Stephen Michael King.
ISBN: 978 0 7333 2983 8 (pbk.)
ISBN: 978 0 7304 9508 6 (epub)
Series: Millard, Glenda. Kingdom of silk; 6.
For primary school age.
King, Stephen Michael.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
A823.3
Cover illustration by Stephen Michael King
Cover design by Jane Waterhouse, HarperCollins Design Studio, adapted from a design by Margaret Hamilton