Semla Buns Recipe

A sweet, seasonal treat, semla buns (called fastlagsbulle in Swedish; laskiaispulla in Finnish, or fastelavnsbolle in Danish) are served in Sweden only during Lent. Emma Bengtsson, the pastry chef at Aquavit in New York City, cuts off the top of these cardamom-flavored wheat buns and removes the filling, replacing it with a creamy almond paste. She then tops the almond cream with whipped cream before making a sandwich with the cut-off top.