Vegan semlor
Semlor are a delicious Swedish treat for Shrove Tuesday, preceding lent. This recipe for Swedish vegan semlor was generated by ChatGPT-4 but I tried making semlor following their recipe and they turned out really well. Some minor notes at the end.
Servings 12 semlor
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 1/4 cup organic sugar
- 1 packet 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk almond, soy, or oat, lukewarm
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Filling
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1/2 tsp almond extract optional
For the Vegan Whipped Cream
- 1 14 oz can coconut cream, chilled overnight
- 2-4 tbsp powdered sugar adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
To Finish
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Make the Buns
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom, and salt.
- Add the lukewarm plant-based milk and melted vegan butter to the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough, then divide it into 10-12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover the buns with a kitchen towel and let them rise again for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the buns for 15-18 minutes or until they're golden brown on top. Let them cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the Filling
- Mix almond flour, powdered sugar, plant-based milk, and almond extract (if using) in a bowl to form a thick paste.
Make the Vegan Whipped Cream:
- Scoop the solid part of the chilled coconut cream into a bowl, leaving the liquid behind.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip using an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
Assemble the Semlor
- Cut off the top third of each bun and set the tops aside. Hollow out a small portion of the middle of each bun.
- Fill the hollow with a generous spoonful of the almond paste.
- Top with a dollop of whipped coconut cream.
- Replace the bun tops and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Enjoy your homemade vegan semlor, a delightful treat that captures the essence of Swedish tradition without any animal products!
Notes
Tips for Hard-to-Find Ingredients:
- Vegan Butter: If you can't find vegan butter, coconut oil is a good substitute.
- Almond Flour: You can make your own by finely grinding blanched almonds in a food processor.
- Coconut Cream: If coconut cream is unavailable, chill a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight and use the solidified part.
- Dissolved yeast in warm milk and margarine instead of stirring into flour
- Added ~2 tbsp more flour during kneading
- Used storebought vegan whipping cream (Silk brand9 instead of chilled coconut milk
- For the filling, I also add the scooped-out bread after running it in a food processor.
- After adding the almond filling you have a good pause point. Prep the semlor to this step and then set them aside. When it is time to serve, add the cream and dust with sugar. Don't store with the cream.
- The buns with almond filling can be frozen and eaten a few weeks later. Just thaw for a few hours/overnight, add cream, and dust with icing sugar.