What’s a Semla?

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Semla is a sweet pastry popular in Nordic cuisine. Referred to as fastlagsbulle by Swedish speakers, semla is a light, airy, round sandwich or bun. It can be served plain or, after being emptied, the bun can be filled with jam or marizpan. This pastry is often presented with coffee or in a bowl with warm milk for breakfast or as a sweet treat when it has a filling.

The name semla comes from the semolina flour used to prepare the delicate shortcrust pastry. It’s a yeasty roll that derives much of its signature flavor from the spice cardamom. The rolls are given ample time to rise, which is what gives them the lightness that adds to their uniqueness.

The buns are baked until they reach a rich golden brown color. They can then cool before adding any fillings. Often whipped cream is piped on top or the top is dusted with powdered sugar. The topping often depends on what the semla is filled with, allowing pastries with different fillings to be easily distinguished.

Originally, these desserts were served on Shrove Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday before the start of the Lent fast. Sandwiches were considered a sweet indulgence before a period of deprivation was observed. Before they became popular for filling sandwiches, they were placed in a bowl of warm milk and eaten. The buns are now commonly offered in bakeries in Finland from Christmas until the end of the Easter season.

A Finnish brand, semla has been chosen as Finland’s representative food for Cafe Europe. Cafe Europe was an event that was held on 9 May 2006. Its aim was to offer a cultural initiative that encourages people to learn about the cultures of the nations of the European Union. Semla was proudly served at participating cafés across Europe on that date and was widely heralded as a sweet hit.

This pastry has achieved such fame in Finnish culture that it has been included in popular novels. Whether imaginary or real, there are avid fans of semla all over the Nordic countries and many other places as well.

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