Ingredients

75 g (5 tbs) butter

300 ml (1¼ cups) milk

1 egg

3½ tsp active dry yeast (25 g of fresh cake yeast)

½ tsp salt

55 g (¼ cup) sugar

1 tsp freshly ground or cracked cardamom

500 g (3½ cups) all-purpose flour, extra may be required

Filling

200 g (7 oz) almond paste (see website for more details)

120 ml (½ cup) milk

240 ml (1 cup) whipping cream, whipped until stiff

powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add milk and heat until just warm to touch or 37°C (98°F). Remove from the heat.
  2. Crumble yeast into a small bowl & pour some of warm butter & milk mixture over it, stirring until yeast is dissolved.
  3. Combine salt, sugar, egg, cardamom & most of the flour in a large bowl along w/yeast & rest of milk mixture. Work dough until sticky, but doesn’t stick to hands, using minimum amount of flour. Leave to rise covered w/clean cloth for ~30 minutes.
  4. Place dough on lightly floured surface & knead until smooth, adding flour as needed if dough too sticky keeping addition of flour to bare minimum. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Work dough into 24 evenly shaped balls & place on baking sheet. Leave to rise, covered w/towel for 30 min. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 435°F.
  5. Bake buns in mid-oven for 7-10 minutes. When nicely browned, remove & let cool.
  6. Slice thin portion off top of each bun & set aside. Using a fork, tease out a small layer of crumbs from each bun & reserve in bowl. Grate almond paste using small holed side of grater & combine it reserved crumbs & 120 ml (½ cup) milk. Blend well until a thick paste. Using metal spoon helps to blend well. Should be thick enough so won’t run down sides of semlor.
  7. Place enough filling in each bun to come to edge. Top with dollop of cream & replace lid. Dust w/powdered sugar and serve immediately.