Santa Lucia Buns

Just to be absolutely clear I don't know where this recipe came from, if you know please let me know so I can properly attribute it. It was passed to me with a bag of ingredients, barely legible, a bad xerox copy written over in red pencil. It wasn't hard to make, once I figured out it was just a sweet bread dough. I have to say thank goodness I had the KitchenAid, that made it really easy. Oh the winner of the KitchenAid? Ohhh well as I'm writing this there is still 3ish hours left to enter, I'll be posting the winner in the morning. Come back then, in the meantime Santa Lucia Buns.

In our school it's customary for one or two grades to make Santa Lucia Buns for the rest of the school. This year was our turn, second grade parents made dough for the kids to shape. While the third grade students, who are studying cooking and baking, made their dough, rolled them and baked them. Next year it will be our third graders doing all the work while a new crop of second graders starts the process. On Santa Lucia Day the children will serve buns and spiced tea to the rest of the school. That's a LOT of buns, we made 160 buns today, which means the third grade will be making about 140, also a lot of buns. And fun. It was fun, the kids were in a festive mood, happy and ruddy faced from playing in the fresh snow. They spent time shaping the gorgeous saffron tinted dough into ornate S shapes, egg washed them and left them to rise. Then they moved as needed or desired off to finish their present surprises, ornaments, felted wool or knitting projects, depending on what they had left to do. I then spent a very quiet hour in a silent kindergarten kitchen knitting and baking the buns off. The sunset was glorious and while I was there I reflected on the pleasure this school brings me. Yes it has growing pains, it's a brand new school and all new things evolve and grow, it's still a great school and I'm so glad we're here.


Santa Lucia Buns
recipe makes about 50-60ish 3 inch rolls, depends on size really

1 1/3 cup of milk
1/2 cup of butter
2/3 cup of sugar
pinch of saffron
3 Tablespoons of yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs-1 for dough, 1 for egg wash
4-4 1/2 cups of flour
raisins or dried currants

scald the milk and set to cooling
drop the butter in and let it melt
add the pinch of saffron to the melting butter and warm milk
stir to dissolve
when the milk mixture has reached lukewarm add the yeast and salt and let it set about 5 minutes
add two cups flour to a mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer
add the warm milk and yeast mixture and pulse to incorporate
then begin mixing when the flour is mixed in add 2 more cups in 1/2 cup increments
if the dough seems really soft add the last 1/2 cup and then machine knead or need by hand until a soft smooth dough has formed
grease a large bowl, add the dough turn to coat, cover and let rise until doubled
punch down, divide dough and make into S shapes, brush with egg was and place 2 raisins or currents at each end
let rise again for about 45 minutes
preheat the oven to 375˚
bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through

Obviously the length of time to bake depends entirely on how big you make the buns. You can make them all the ornate S with curved ends or you can make some ornate X and decorate the same way. They are usually made buy the oldest girl in the household early on December 13th to honor the Saint Lucy who brought hope and light to all in the darkest hours of winter. Enjoy!




Peace and Love--