5 dl | 2,5 cup milk warm to touch ( you can use oat milk to make it vegan)
14g instant dry yeast (usually equals 1 package)
1 g saffron
8,5 dl | 4,5 cup all purpose flour
For the rest of the dough:
150g vegan butter room temperature (vegan for sub)
2 dl | 1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
5,5 dl | 2 & 3/4 cup all purpose flour
Almond vanilla praline filling:
250 g almond paste ( marzipan , mandelmassa) – shred your marzipan with a grater
1/2 dl l 1/4 cup granulated sugar
The zest form 1 orange
2 tbs crushed cardamom or 1 tbs ground cardamom
1 tsp vanilla sugar
120 g butter, softened to room temperature ( vegan for sub)
Sugar mixture ( optional )
Browned butter to brush the baked buns
Sugar
Directions
Prepare the Pre-Dough: In a large bowl, mix the oat milk (5 dl | 2.5 cups), yeast (14 g), and 1 tbsp of the sugar. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom, until frothy. Add the saffron and the pre-dough flour (8.5 dl | 4.5 cups) to the bowl. Mix until fully incorporated, forming a loose and slimy consistency rather than a firm dough. Cover the bowl and let the pre-dough rest for 20 minutes.
Finish the Dough: Once the pre-dough has rested, start adding softened vegan butter (150 g), one cube at a time, while mixing. Gradually add the remaining sugar (2 dl | 1 cup), salt (1 tsp), and the rest of the flour (5.5 dl | 2.75 cups) one dl (or cup) at a time. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes, either with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand, until it is smooth, elastic, and slightly bouncy to the touch. Cover and let the dough rest for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Make the filling: Mix thoroughly until the filling is smooth and well combined, for the Almond Vanilla Praline Filling don’t forget to grate your marzipan.
After proofing the dough
Divide the dough into two parts and roll each into a long rectangular shape. Spread the filling evenly over both dough sheets. Fold each dough piece into thirds (not a traditional three-fold) and then carefully roll it out again until slightly flattened. Make sure the seam is placed underneath to prevent the buns from unraveling during baking. See the clip at the bottom for guidance! Cut each dough sheet into approximately 15 wide, square-like strips to ensure stability and prevent the gifflar from collapsing while baking. Avoid making the buns too large, as they will expand during the last proofing and baking.
Proofing: Place the cut strips onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Let them proof for 30 minutes until they become puffed and slightly risen.
Baking: Preheat your oven to 200°C (370°F). Once the buns have proofed, bake them for about 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
Optional sugar coating: While the buns are baking, prepare the sugar mixture by melting butter and brushing it over the hot buns. Once brushed with the melted butter, dip them into sugar for a sweet finish.
Enjoy your saffransgifflar fresh out of the oven! These buns are a perfect addition to any holiday table and are sure to impress with their rich almond filling and fluffy texture.
