San Francisco's Nichole Accettola from Kantine gives lussekatter, the vivid saffron buns commonly shared on the feast of St. Lucia, a fresh look. Taking a cue from Asian baking, Accettola incorporates a tangzhong, a cooked paste of flour and liquid, into the yeast dough. This helps the flour soak up and hold in more liquid, which makes the citrusy buns hold their moisture for a longer time period.

Saffron, the key ingredient in these buns, hails from the autumn-blooming perennial, the autumn crocus (Crocus sativus). Its red stigmas, the flower's central threads, provide a floral, moist flavor with slight sweetness. Saffron, thus, is in-demand for a range of dishes-from robust cioppino soups to sweet rice puddings. Not surprisingly, this high-demand spice commands up to $10,000 per pound in wholesale prices.

Accettola's revamped saffron bun recipe blends together milk and flour for the tangzhong, followed by the dough preparation with ingredients like saffron threads, eggs, sugar, butter, and raisins. The dough is then divided and shaped into figure-eights. Once the buns have risen sufficiently, they're glazed with an egg wash and baked till golden brown. After cooling down, the buns receive a fresh glaze of orange simple syrup before serving.

Importantly, the dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 12 hours in an airtight container. Just ensure you follow the baking steps as directed when you’re ready to prepare the buns. This modern twist on traditional lussekatter saffron buns takes a bit of time, but the resulting pillowy, fragrant buns make it worth the wait.

Enjoy these revamped, tradition-inspired saffron buns at your next holiday gathering, a home dinner, or just treat yourself to a pillowy, citrusy delight. Original concept appeared in Food & Wine magazine, December 2024 / January 2025 issue.