On Dec. 13, Catholics around the world—but particularly in Sweden and Sicily—celebrate St. Lucy’s feast day. Traditionally, the oldest daughter in each Swedish household dons a white gown, often with a red sash, wears a green wreath with candles on her head, and awakens the household with special baked goods.
Here are two recipes for St. Lucy’s feast day. The recipe for the crown is a bit more straightforward and could also be used to make the buns with some adjustment for the baking time. Both recipes are included in Ernst Shuegraf’s Cooking with the Saints, although there are many fairly similar versions of these recipes available online.
Santa Lucia Crown
CROWN
½ cup warm water
2 tsp. dry yeast
½ cup warm milk
½ cup sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. saffron powder
4 cups flour
3 eggs, smallICING AND DECORATION
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp. milk
½ tsp. vanilla
Red and green glacé cherries
Pour half the warm water into a large warm bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast; stir until dissolved. Add remaining water, warm milk, sugar, butter, salt, saffron, and half the flour; blend well. Still in two eggs and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about six to eight minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about one hour.
Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface; reserve 1/3 of dough for top of crown. Divide remaining dough into three equal pieces; roll each to 25-inch rope. Braid ropes. Place braid on greased baking sheet. Form braid into circle; pinch ends together to seal.
To shape top of crown, divide reserved dough into three equal pieces; roll each to 16-inch rope. Braid ropes. Place braid on separate greased baking sheet. Form braid into circle; pinch ends together to seal. Cover both braids; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about one hour.
Lightly beat remaining egg; brush on braids. Bake in a moderately hot oven at 375° for 15 minutes or until done (small braid) and 25 minutes or until done (large braid). Cover large braid with foil during the last 10 minutes to prevent excess browning. Remove braids from baking sheets; let cool on wire racks.
To make the icing, combine the sifted powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.
To decorate the bread, make six holes for candles in the small braid. Place small braid on top of large braid and use toothpicks or icing to fasten it. If desired, drizzle with icing and garnish with candied cherry halves. Insert candles in prepared holes.
Serves about 12. (Editor’s note: The cake is very large and easily serves 20-30.)
Lussekattor (Saint Lucia cats)
½ cup butter
1 ¼ cup milk
¼ tsp. saffron
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
½ cup sugar
5 ¾ cup flour
Raisins
1 egg
Salt
Melt butter in a pan and add the milk and the saffron. Warm the mixture to body temperature, 98.6°. Use a cooking thermometer because the correct temperature is important. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture. Let stand for three minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients (except for the egg and the raisins), which should be at room temperature. Mix into a smooth dough.
Cover the dough with a piece of cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes. Knead the dough. Divide it into 25 to 30 pieces and form each piece into a round bun. Let the buns rest for a few minutes, covered by a piece of cloth.
Form each bun into a string, 6 to 8 inches long. Then arrange the string in a suitable shape, e.g., a figure eight or a double S. Regardless of the shape, the ends of the string should meet. Press a few raisins into the dough. Cover the “Lucia cats” with a piece of cloth and let them rise for 40 minutes. Whip the egg together with a few grains of salt, and paint the “Lucia cats” with the mixture. Bake them for 5 to 10 minutes in a very hot oven at 475° until golden brown.
Makes 25 to 30 buns.