Swedish Saffranskrans is a Magical Holiday Bread
Before my brother in law sent me this recipe for Swedish Saffranskrans, I had never heard of this bread. I still can’t say it without sounding like a goof, but this loaf is pure magic. Soft, pillowy saffron bread, cardamom orange marmalade, and homemade candied orange peel. Need I say more? Well, I will.
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Saffranskrans or Sassafraskaras…
See. Told ya I couldn’t pronounce it. I’m seriously in love with this bread and I might just have to grab a slice while I write about it. BRB. Oh my gravy, this is good. Not only does it taste amazing, it is the most gorgeous shade of yellow (my favorite color) thanks to the saffron. The original recipe is from Bake From Scratch.
As tasty as Saffranskrans is, it is not an everyday type of loaf. It’s a labor of love that is totally worth the effort. Especially at the holidays and especially with family around to help. You can make this a smidge easier by preparing the marmalade filling and candied orange peel a day or two in advance.
Cardamom Orange Marmalade
I never would have thought of combining cardamom and orange marmalade, but it just works. To create the filling, you just need to combine the melted butter with cardamom and marmalade. We did this in a saucepan, but you could just as easily use a microwave, or just some elbow grease to beat it all together. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This filling brings so much flavor to the Saffranskrans! If you love cardamom, you need to check the recipes from my Scandinavian Baking class. The Cardamom Coffee Braid and Strassburger Cookies are both flavored with a dash of this spice and it’s glorious. Like mild spicy cinnamon.
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Candied Orange Peel
I’ve seen them make candied citrus peel on The Great British Baking Show, but it always seemed like it was something I would never do. But I have no idea why because it is crazy easy! After you toss the orange peel in sugar, keep that sugar in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll add the barest hint of citrus to your next creation.
Martin (bro in law) had a great idea to make “Sour Patch Orange Peel” by throwing some citric acid in with the sugar coating. I love this! But for this recipe, candied orange peel will add bursts of sweet citrus flavor to the Saffranskrans filling. It’s totally okay if you end up noshing on a few first though.
Making the Saffron Bread Dough
I’m so glad my brother in law was here when I made this dough, because it is a soft dough. If I’d been alone, I know I would have added more flour and ended up with a dense, but tasty, bread. Normally I would finish dough off by hand instead of just kneading in my stand mixer. But in this case, it’s really too soft to do by hand.
Another tidbit to note is you should not punch the dough down after that first rise. I know, I know. That’s what we always do. When you roll the dough out, you’ll be knocking out any large gas bubbles and redistributing the sugars. If you punch it down first, you may knock out too much air.
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How to Make a Bread Wreath
Watching Martin make this bread wreath gave me heart palpitations at first, but it totally worked! Use your kitchen shears to cut the dough at a 45° angle, coming from the top of the dough. Don’t cut all the way through though, leave about ¼”- ½” of dough at the bottom. Work your way around the entire wreath, leaving a ½” gap between cuts.
Now pull each chunk in opposite directions. So, pull one to the inside of the wreath, the next to the outside, and so on and so forth. It’s going to look a bit weird, but it’s going to be just fine. After you let it rise some more, top with an egg wash, sparkling or pearl sugar, and sliced almonds.
Swapping Out the Alcohol
You’re going to immediately notice that this recipe has vodka in it. It may sound weird, but the point is to create sort of a saffron extract. And if you don’t have a mortar and pestle (Martin lent me his), just chop up the saffron as best you can. Your dough will have flecks of the saffron, but that’s okay.
There is only one tablespoon of vodka here, but if you avoid alcohol for religious or personal reasons, that could still be too much. I have not tried this, but I would suggest using milk or maybe even water instead. No idea how these would turn out, but a single tablespoon shouldn’t make too much of a difference.
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Get Ready for Your Life to Change
Maybe I’m being dramatic, but Saffranskrans really is one of the tastiest breads I’ve ever had. This is a beautiful loaf to enjoy over the holidays while you are surrounded by friends and family. Though, if I’m being perfectly honest, I ended up with only a small chunk of bread once we’d all tried some and divided it up.
You know what? I’d also suggest making this alone and eating it in secret. As much as I love sharing my bakes, this is one loaf that I’d enjoy eating by myself. If you make this, tag me on Instagram so I can see your lovely loaf!
Swedish Saffranskrans
Ingredients
Cardamom Orange Marmalade Filling
- 1/3 cup orange marmalade
- 3 Tbsps unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp cardamom
Candied Orange Peel
- 1 orange
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar divided
Saffranskrans Dough
- 1 tsp saffron threads
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp vodka
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 508 g bread flour (4 cups)
- 100 g sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 Tbsp instant yeast
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter cubed and softened
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- Sliced almonds for topping
- Pearl or sparkling sugar for topping
Instructions
Cardamom Orange Marmalade
- In a small bowl, combine marmalade, butter, and cardamom. Stir until combined. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days if not using immediately. Bring to room temperature before using.
Candied Orange Peel
- Peel the orange and cut the peel into ¼ inch thick slices. Place in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In the same saucepan, add 1 ½cups of water and 1 ½ cups of sugar to a boil. Add the orange peel and simmer for 30 minutes, or until softened.
- Use a slotted spoon to sieve the orange peel out of the syrup. Toss the orange peel with the remaining sugar and transfer to a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Let the peel dry for a day or two.
Saffranskrans Dough
- Grind the saffron and salt in a small mortar. Add the vodka and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes.
- Scald the milk in a saucepan over medium- low heat. Allow the milk to cool down to 115°F- 120°F. Once the milk has cooled, whisk together the milk, an egg, and the saffron mixture in a glass measuring cup.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine flour, sugar, and yeast. Mix on low to combine. On low, slowly pour in the milk mixture. Then bump the speed up to medium- low until fully combined. Add butter a piece at a time and beat until well combined.
- Bump the speed up to medium and beat for about 7 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. The dough will be quite soft. Lightly grease a large bowl, add the dough, and turn to coat. Place plastic wrap directly on the dough. Cover the bowl in a tea towel for good measure. Let it rise in a warm, draft free location until doubled in size, about an hour.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Do NOT punch the dough down. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, use a pastry mat if you have one. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rough rectangle. Now roll the dough out to an 18x12 inch rectangle.
- Spread the cardamom orange marmalade filling over the dough, leaving a ½ inch border on all sides. Now sprinkle with candied orange peel and golden raisins. Roll the dough up, starting on the long side in front of you. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and form a ring. Pinch the ends together to seal.
- Use kitchen shears to cut into the dough at a 45° angle. Do not cut all the way down through the dough, leave a ¼ inch of dough on the bottom. Repeat cuts every ½ inch around the wreath. Now pull each piece in alternating directions. Cover loosely with cling wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes. Begin preheating the oven to 350°F.
- Brush the bread with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a tsp of water). Sprinkle with sliced almonds and sparkling sugar. Bake for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature hits 190°F.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- If you don't have a mortar, chop the saffron threads finely and place them in a small bowl with the vodka and salt.
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Colleen
Hi there! I’m Colleen, a novice baker with a passion for learning and improving my bakes… and blunders. On Bakes and Blunders, you can find all sorts of tasty recipes that range in difficulty, but most importantly, I’ll try to explain the reason behind important steps. If you know why a recipe works, you can tweak and adapt it to suit your unique tastes, and you’ll be able to reliably produce some very delicious treats. If you love baking and want to expand and grow your skills, or if you are a casual baker and just need some pointers, my blog is right up your alley! Join me on my baking journey and we’ll learn how to make more impressive recipes together.
5 Comments
Erika
These look so good. I’ve never tried making it, but I’m definitely going to give it a try. Yum!
Kay
Never seen, tried or heard of this before, but I can imagine the smells it brings to the home is amazing?!
My mum would love it, she is a lover of Marmalade!
Colleen
I also love marmalade. And homemade candied orange peel is delicious too!
Patrice
My Swedish grandmother used to bake something similar so this recipe brings back many good memories! Love your photos and all the details.
Colleen
I wish I’d had this bread earlier in my life! So yummy 😀