The Dessert That Killed a King: Swedish Semla Buns
Royals in the past had a reputation for being prone to dying after being ambushed, poisoned or falling for snide advisors' elaborate plots.
Others were the masters of their own demise. Some of them through tyranny, others through lack of caution, some others through sheer gluttony.
That might have been the case for Adolf Fedrik of Sweden, said to have fallen victim to one Fat Tuesday bun too many on February 12th 1771.
Semla, still known as hetvägg at the time, was the king’s favourite dessert and legend says that the nail in the coffin for the king’s already flailing health was the semla (or semlas, up to 14 according to some) he indulged in at the end of an already lavish meal.
He collapsed shortly after having it, dying on the spot.
Could he have been poisoned? Were the 14 buns the straw that -understandably - broke the camel’s back?
Rumours and propaganda quickly spread, so we will probably never know what role the semla has played in history, but I’ve chosen to take this as a bizarre fun fact to bring up once a year when semla season comes along. Very few desserts have a royal death linked to their name.
What makes a semla a semla?
Semlas are fluffy, plain cardamom buns filled with almond paste - not to be confused with marzipan - and soft whipped cream, topped with a little hat and a dusting of powdered sugar, eaten specifically on Fettisdagen in Sweden. That’s Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday: different names for the last day before Lent, a 40-day period of fasting leading up to Easter.
Starting from the 19th century, the availability of wheat flour, sugar and spices to common people meant homemade versions became a common sight on tables across the region, often eaten in a bowl of warm milk.
It was probably around the time the concept of fasting as the core of religious practices linked to Easter fizzled out after the Reformation that cream came into the picture, opening the door to all the modern versions we have today.
Variations on the concept are common throughout the Nordics and across Baltic countries dating back centuries, most of them evolving from a similar plain bun. While most versions include whipped cream, the almond paste that’s the staple in Sweden is replaced with jam in Finland and Norway, and in recent years bakeries have started to experiment with new combinations, from vanilla custard and chocolate to truffle and foie gras.
A good, simple, bun: classics around Stockholm.
Most bakeries in Sweden will serve up a perfectly fine semla any day of the week, but if you’re trying to pick the best semla, I would look out for a gritty layer of almond paste with visible almond peel or shards of roasted almonds, and a smooth, soft-whipped swirl of cream. Overwhipped cream will result in a less pleasant texture, going from what should be a silky accompaniment to the bun to a fattier mouthfeel and somewhat spongy bite.
Having lived in Stockholm for a decade, I have my go-to spots for semla there, with Vetekatten being a safe, ubiquitous bet and Fosch always keeping the quality up in everything that comes out of their ovens (their French pastries are amongst the best in Sweden).
This year, though, I decided I wanted to try a couple of new places, and set out to explore Haga Bageri and Komet Café.
Haga Bageri has a couple of locations in town and they were awarded Stockholm’s Best Semla in 2023.
A very solid choice for a classic semla, the roasted almond adding a crunch and toasted element to balance the sweetness.
Komet Café’s single location was completely new to me. The star-shaped piping on the cream alone makes for a fun twist, and the coffee served in biodegradable cups made of spent coffee grounds was an intriguing added touch. They also used to have a coffee-flavoured semla that was unfortunately not available when I visited in late January.
Stockholm’s Modern Spins on the Classic.
In the 2010s, some bakeries started experimenting with the semla concept.
One of the first big breaks came from Tössebageriet in Östermalm, Stockholm. Their semla wrap went heavier on the filling, wrapping a generous helping of almond paste and whipped cream in a cardamom-flavoured soft wrap, made to be easily enjoyed on the go. Throughout the years, they also offered a crispy weiner semla and an éclair version with a choux pastry shell.
Their liquorice semla was also a big hit for them a couple of years later. Smaller than a regular bun and with a warm earthy undertone, it still makes an appearance from time to time.
Most bakeries in Stockholm will have new spins on the semla concept every weekend, often in limited quantities.
One of the most interesting variations on the theme I’ve tried was at Mr Cake, an Östermalm staple known for their decadent layered cakes and a red velvet croissant. They offered a Nachos Semla, a deconstructed version of the buns with crispy cardamom triangles to be dipped in whipped cream and almond paste - adding a crunch that the decadently pillowy original misses. The crunchy element is recurring in their creations. This year they’re running with a cronut semla that might be worth trying.
Mr Cake’s nachos semla
Photo: @mrcake
International Crimes: 7-eleven, Burger King.
International corporations have recently jumped onto the bandwagon, offering disturbingly gimmicky options. Seemingly made just to be an affront to semla history, some of the most twisted examples include 7-eleven’s Semla To-Go, unsettlingly shaped like a hot dog, and a terrifying spin on the hamburger, courtesy of the Burger King team who chose to feature a brownie patty and an almond paste layer so white and grainy it looks like fake snow in a low-budget early noughties sit-com.
Enjoy the pictures below, straight from their Instagram accounts because there’s a limit to my commitment to investigative journalism.
Not in Sweden?
Best semlas and where to find them.
Every year the semla discourse flares back up, with ingredient proportions, the shape of the top hat, the thickness of the whipped cream and grittiness of the almond paste all being points of contention.
Not able to travel for a sweet bun? Fully understandable, but if you’re curious and want to experience the semla craze from afar, the options are not as limited as one might think.
If you have a Swedish café or restaurant in your area, you can be sure they’ll serve semlas or semla-inspired creations between January and March at least.
Is there a definitive semla recipe?
If you want to try your hand at making your own semlas, it will be worth your time. The process is a bit laborious, but it’s fully doable and the ingredients are not hard to source at all.
There are recipes all over the internet. Some great ones in Swedish, but the one by Carolina Tolone is a great middle ground that can be adapted to a home kitchen. She starts from a very good bun, refining the basics by adding some crunch and a touch of salt, all while hitting the right texture for the cream.
Making your own almond paste is easy enough that I’d suggest adding the extra step to get a fully home-made batch of semlas. For the amount in Carolina’s recipe, I’d use 120g of roasted almonds, 90g of icing sugar, and 1 egg white. Run it through a food processor with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of ground cardamom, then mix in some of the crumb from within the buns and a little milk, just enough to make the paste loose enough to be piped, and you’ll be ready to fill your semlas in no time.
The result was very satisfying, a fun little project for a calm Friday night at home with friends.
Be it semla or anything else, take a fika.
Social life in Sweden revolves around the concept of fika all year round.
When it’s too cold to meet outdoors, when the temperature’s just pleasant enough to have a coffee on the porch (or in a park if you don’t have a cabin in the archipelago), at every office meeting, for an informal first date or the couple of hours a week grandparents get to spend with their grandchildren.
Drip coffee and the pastries that come with it are a reflection of a laid-back approach to interpersonal and business relations alike.
Stick to the classic cinnamon and cardamom buns throughout the year, but don’t miss out on semla season to experience the Swedish craze that takes over the country.
The Swedish Fika Experience.
Isn’t this delightfully beige?
Between flashing skyscrapers and the bustling streets of Shanghai, Lao Zheng Xing has been awarded one Michelin star for its celebration of traditional Shanghainese cuisine. The restaurant combines a non-pretentious ambience and affordable prices, serving classic dishes like drunken chicken, braised pork belly and Shanghai “smoked” fish.