Lucias Cats

The days in northern Europe are short, and the nights are long and very dark. By baking Lucias cats and remembering Saint Lucia, the Swedes invite longer and warmer days to return. So far, they have always succeeded… The holiday and tradition itself originate from older, pagan times when the light was carried away by a cat, a symbol of evil forces. This is also where the somewhat unusual shape of the pastry comes from.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 80 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 10 minutes
  • Difficulty: 3
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 10

Ingredients

  • 200 g Butter, unsalted

  • 0.5 l Milk, whole milk

  • 2 g Saffron, dry

  • 50 g Yeast, dry

  • 0.5 teaspoons Salt, table

  • 230 g Sugar, white

  • 1 kg Flour, Wheat, bread flour

  • 50 g Raisins, golden

  • 1 piece Egg, fresh

Steps

  1. Cut the butter into small pieces. Place the pot on medium heat to melt the butter. Add the milk and heat the mixture to 37°C.

  2. Crumble the yeast into a bowl. Pour in the lukewarm milk and mix everything well. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to rise slightly.

  3. Crush the saffron with a small amount of sugar in a mortar, then mix it in a smaller bowl with the remaining sugar and salt. Add this mixture to the bowl with the yeast. Mix well. Sift most of the flour into the bowl and knead into a smooth dough. Knead until it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl or your hands.

  4. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and wait for the dough to rise, which takes 30 to 40 minutes. Do not let it rise longer, as the dough would dry out too much!

  5. Sort the raisins, wash them, and shake off excess water. Lightly flour the work surface and your hands. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead it gently. Once it is no longer sticky, divide it into 40 pieces and shape each piece into Lucia's cats, as shown in the photo. Decorate the pastries by pressing raisins into the dough.

  6. Preheat the oven to 250°C. Grease a baking tray. Arrange the shaped pastries on the greased tray. Cover with a kitchen towel and let them rise for 15 minutes.

  7. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush it over the pastries using a brush. Bake the pastries in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Remove the baked Lucia's cats from the oven and let them cool covered with a towel. Once cooled, arrange them on serving plates or trays and serve.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 322.62 kcal
  • Fat: 9.34 g
    • Saturated Fat: 5.26 g
  • Carbohydrates: 50.44 g
    • Sugars: 13.82 g
  • Protein: 7.18 g
  • Fiber: 1.72 g